Chatpate Makhane

Phool Makhana (Popped Lotus Seed) is a typical North Indian item, which was foreign to me till just a few days before. One friend told me to try popping some makhana adding little salt and pepper and enjoying the snack as is or with some Chai, to curb the 4pm Snack pang. I get really hungry and hysterical at 4pm, I have a decent lunch around 1pm everyday, yet the 4pm snack pang is a killer to my weight plan. so if this is not new to any of you, I suggest you try this snack and call it  a day.

I tried with only salt and pepper, but the results were not very promising, at least for me, so I dashed it and zapped the makhana with some chat masala. Chat masala is basically a blend of few spices that are tangy, sweet and slightly zesty all at the same time. I buy mine from any Indian Store but one can make it at home too.

Rec. Source

Chat Masala typically consists of:

amchoor (dried mango powder)
cumin
kala namak
coriander
dried ginger
salt
black pepper
asafoetida
chili powder

The ingredients are combined and served on a small metal plate or a banana leaf, dried and formed into a bowl, at chaat carts (especially in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and across Northern and even Southern India).

Chaat masala has a pungent almost eggy smell and tastes both sweet and sour. It is used to flavour all the popular fast foods of India like bhelpuri, golgappa, aaloo chaat and Dahi puri. It is something of an acquired taste, and can be added to all sorts of everyday foods and drinks or even eaten on its own.

 To make my Chatpate Makahne;

You Will need

1 cup makhane seeds-- You will get these in any Indian grocery store

1 tbspn ghee/clarified butter

1 tbpns chat masala

In  a big pot, I use the pressure cooker vessel, heat the clarified butter/ghee and add the Makhana seeds and roast for about 7-9 mins stirring continuously. After the 9 mins roasting, the seeds will look puffed, remove from heat and sprinkle the chat masala. And NJOii..

My movie dates are soon changing from Movie, Popcorn and Samosa to Movie, Makhana and Samosa. We all prefer watching movies on our very own Tee Vee and in the comfort of our sweet home, as it is less embarrassing when the people give us those stares when my kid's cannot stop talking between the movie. Only time they shut their sweet talk is when there is food in their mouths or else we have our very own movie in the making.

 Grab a DVD and set the place, pop some Makhane and enjoy a nice, sad or romantic movie, the movie choice is yours with some healthy snack.

I am sending my entry to the following events,

1. Krithis Kitchen announcing Serve It-Festival Potluck event

2. Taste of Pearl city's Anyone Can cook Series

Hope you all find the perfect balance in life.

Love Ash.