A simple and healthy yet exotic tea-time / beer snack

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Those who have been following my blog will be taken by surprise by this one. I have changed gear to present to you a different side of mine, which was until recently unknown both to me and my followers. I never knew that I have had an interest in working in the kitchen. Although for the last few weeks I’ve been preparing my own breakfast (which I’ll present in a separate blog), making an egg omelette a few times in a week and of late preparing ‘kadak’ tea (which I’ll present in a separate blog) for my beautiful wife, as a welcome drink for her, after she’s back from teaching in a school, I didn’t imagine that these excursions would lead to my increased interest in preparing a simple and healthy yet exotic tea-time snack, which I’m proud to present to all of you.

I’m hopeful that you all have known or at least heard about ‘Makhana’, also called ‘Foxnut’, the starchy white seeds which are largely found in eastern and southern Asia. Bihar, a state in India, produces 90% of the world production of fox nut! In India in the northern (Punjab) and western parts of the country, fox nuts are often roasted or fried, which causes them to pop like popcorn. These are then eaten, often with a sprinkling of oil and spices. It is used in cooking, especially to make a porridge or pudding called kheer. They are low in calories, fat and sodium and high in calcium and potassium (source: Wikipedia and internet).

Simple and healthy yet exotic tea-time snack: Roasted fox nuts along with diet chivda

Ingredients: Makhana (50-60g), Diet chivda (40-50g), 7-8 teaspoons of Olive oil and add to taste Salt, Pepper, Cinnamon and Chaat Masala

Utensils: Non-stick kadhai, and a mixing handle

Process of preparation: Distribute the makhanas in a non-stick kadhai and put the same on a gas stove. After heating the makhanas for a while, sprinkle the olive oil while stirring them slowly. Immediately thereafter, please sprinkle the salt, pepper and cinnamon on the makhanas while continuing to stir them. Thereafter, let the whole thing get heated on a low flame while occasionally stirring it. You will be able to watch the colour of the makhanas changing, not only because the condiments will start to stick on the surface of the makhanas, but also on account of heating. After a while, when the colour of the originally white makhanas has turned brown, please sprinkle the diet chivda on the makhanas and continue to stir the whole thing occasionally, while maintaining the low flame on the stove.

After some time, you will automatically realize that it’s time to put off the flame (if not, please check the crispness of the makhanas) and let the whole thing settle down and cool. It’s very important to cool down this exotic preparation before transferring it into a storage container, which preferably should be transparent, so that you can watch and appreciate your own preparation from time to time.

I’m excited to give you a glimpse of how exotic it might look…



Wish you all a delightful cooking and healthy snacking while binge watching your favourite web-series over this weekend!
       


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