Makhana Bhel is a delicious sweet, tangy and spicy chaat recipe prepared with phool makhana (puffed lotus seeds), chopped onions, tomatoes, sweet and spicy chutneys, spices and topped with sev

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 10 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For Spicy Masala Makhana

  • 2 cups phool makhana
  • 1 tablespoon ghee ((or oil), divided)
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
  • a pinch black salt

For Makhana Bhel

  • 1 small onion (finely chopped, (about 1/2 cup))
  • 1 large tomato (deseeded and chopped (about 1/2 cup))
  • 1/4 cup cucumber (finely chopped)
  • 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
  • 2-3 tablespoons green chutney (finely chopped)
  • 2-3 tablespoons sweet tamarind chutney
  • 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
  • black salt (to taste)
  • 1/4 cup sev (or as needed)
  • 2-3 tablespoons coriander leaves
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate arils

Method

For Spicy Masala Makhana:

  1. Heat ghee in a pan until melted, then add makhanas. Dry roast over very low heat for 4-5 minutes until they become crisp. Keep stirring them in between to prevent makhana from burning.
  2. To check if they are properly roasted, take one phool makhana in your hand and crush it. If it breaks crisply with a satisfying crunching sound, they are perfectly roasted.
  3. Now, transfer the roasted lotus seeds to a plate and allow them to cool.
  4. Next, in the same pan over low heat, add the homemade ghee along with red chili powder, turmeric, chaat masala, and black salt. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
  5. Add the roasted makhanas to the pan and mix well. Toss them for about 2 minutes until they are evenly coated with the spices. Allow the makhanas to cool to room temperature.

For Makhana Bhel

  1. In a large bowl, add spiced roasted makhana, chopped onion, tomato, cucumber, roasted peanuts, green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney, chaat masala, black salt, and lime juice.
  2. Sprinkle with thin sev, coriander leaves, and pomegranate seeds. Mix everything together quickly and adjust with more chutneys if desired.
  3. Finally, add it to a serving plate and garnish with sev, coriander leaves, and pomegranate. Serve phool makhana bhel immediately.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.