Phool Makhana Sabzi is a curry with such a gosh darn DOPE texture! It reminds me of kaima idli in that way, but this recipe happens to be completely vegan, gluten free, sattvic and ekadasi-friendly. "Phool" translates to "flower," and "Makhana" refers to the seeds of the revered lotus flower. In this recipe, they get toasted and then added to a luscious, creamy-as-heck cashew and coconut milk gravy, with blended chilies and aromatic spices.
Puffed lotus seeds, also known as fox nuts, with their delicate and ethereal appearance, have long held a significant place in Indian cuisine and Ayurveda. The seeds are rich in protein, essential minerals like potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus, and are low in fat, making them an excellent addition to any diet.
Turned into a crave-able curry, phool makhana sabzi is perfect over coconut rice with dal tadka, or alongside my vegan butter chicken made with homemade chicken-style seitan. Don’t know what else to make with phool makhana? They are also great as a snack, simply fried up with spices as I do in my Masala Phool Makhana recipe.
Makhana are the flavorful, nutritious version of corn puffs that you had no idea you were missing out on. So, grab your cutest apron and get ready to make your new favey curry. Happy cooking!
Jump to:
- 🥰Why you are going to adore the ever-loving heck outta this recipe
- 🤷♀️ What is Phool Makhana?
- 🌶️ Notable ingredients and substitutions
- 🤯Variations
- 📖Step-by-step instructions
- 💡What to serve phool makhana with
- 👉Top tips
- 🤷♀️FAQ
- ✌️My favey dishes to serve with this recipe:
- Phool Makhana Sabzi (lotus seed curry ekadasi recipe)
🥰Why you are going to adore the ever-loving heck outta this recipe
🥘One-Pot Meal: This Phool Makhana Sabzi is designed to minimize fussy prep, cooking and cleanup. You are going to love how fast it is to make, and how it doesn’t trash your entire kitchen.
✊Vegan AF: Rest assured, no animals are involved in the making of this curry, making it the perfect choice for those who are trying to avoid causing violence to other sentient beings. And if you aren’t concerned about harming animals (yet), well, it’s still super delicious. So the animals and I will celebrate this one vegan meal that I trick you into eating…
🪷 Suddha Sattva: This curry is sattvic and ekadasi-friendly, containing no onions, garlic, or non-veg ingredients. The pickle is suitable for bhoga offerings, so you may then serve it as prasadam.
✅Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of the recipes on my blog, this phool makhana recipe has undergone meticulous testing and tweaking to achieve perfection. In addition to my own testing, a dedicated team of international recipe testers have given their stamp of approval. No matter where you are, with varying ingredient brands and gear, this recipe will not disappoint and make your family leave you.
🤷♀️ What is Phool Makhana?
Phool Makhana, also known as Fox Nut or Lotus Seed, is a unique and cherished ingredient in Indian cuisine and Ayurveda. Made from the seeds of the lotus flower, Phool Makhana is cultivated predominantly in the stagnant water bodies of India, making it a natural aquatic produce.
After the mature lotus flowers are harvested, the seeds are extracted and separated from their protective covering, revealing the pale white, nut-like kernels. These raw seeds undergo a meticulous sun-drying process, ensuring they retain their natural nutritional goodness and become shelf-stable for an extended period.
Phool Makhana is low in calories and fat while being rich in protein, fiber, and essential minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The presence of antioxidants in fox nuts help to combat oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. Moreover, its low glycemic index makes it an ideal snack for individuals managing their blood sugar levels. In Ayurvedic practices, Phool Makhana is believed to have cooling properties and is used to balance the doshas.
🌶️ Notable ingredients and substitutions
Coconut Milk (Nariyal Ka Doodh)
It ain't just perfect for making olan and banh flan with! I recommend using either freshly made or canned coconut milk for making Phool Makhana Sabzi. I don’t find the coconut milk available in shelf-stable cartons to be as rich and creamy. Of course, if you want the dish to be lower in fat, you can substitute a different unsweetened plain plant-based milk of your choice, and it will still be delicious.
Asafoetida
Known as "Hing" in India, asafetida, or asafoetida is a potent root-based spice used in small quantities to elevate the pungent flavors of the curry. As a substitution, if you don’t follow a sattvic diet, you can use garlic powder or a pinch of garlic and onion powders combined to mimic the complex depth that asafoetida brings.
Hari Mirch (Green Chilies)
Indian green chilies add heat to this curry, and also make pretty slammin' hari mirch ka achar on their own! For those seeking a milder dish, remove the seeds and veins from the green chilies, or opt for a more subtle heat by using mild green peppers like seranno. Feel free to use more or fewer chilies in the recipe according to your taste.
Phool Makhana
These puffed lotus seeds are the main thing going on here, and also in masala phool makhana. The important thing to keep in mind is that they should be lightly fried (as mentioned in the recipe) to crisp them, and then they should be mixed into the curry just before serving it so they don’t become soggy by the time they are eaten.
🤯Variations
Khoya Matar Makhana
Transform this recipe into a luscious Khyoa Matar Makhana curry by adding succulent green peas (matar) and rich "Khoya," a reduced milk solid used in Indian desserts. I make my khyoa with condensed oat milk or coconut milk. Follow the original recipe and, during the simmering stage, gently stir in a generous portion of green peas, some crumbled dried fenugreek leaves and a few tablespoons of crumbled khyoa. Let the peas cook until tender, and the khyoa blends into the curry, infusing it with its creamy sweetness.
Spicy Masala Makhana
Spice up this curry recipe with a burst of fiery flavors by creating a Spicy Masala Makhana. Follow the original recipe, but add to the blended curry paste some dry roasted (over low heat) Byadagi chilies and two extra hari mirch chilies. Optionally, you can add a pinch of garam masala. The warming spices, such as cinnamon in the masala, will accentuate the added hot chilies.
📖Step-by-step instructions
You never thought you were going to delight in the savory curry version of corn-pops cereal, but here we are! I will walk you through the whole process. Or you can follow along with the easy-to-print recipe card towards the bottom of this page.
Step 1
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. After 30 seconds, add your preferred cooking oil.
Step 2
Once the oil is warm, gently add the raw unsalted cashew pieces and pan-fry them, stirring occasionally, until they turn light golden brown. Remove the perfectly fried cashews from the pan and set them aside to use as a garnish at the end of prepping the dish.
Step 3
In the same pan, add the Phool Makhana (Lotus Seeds). Pan-fry the delicate seeds in the remaining oil, allowing them to transform into crispy, light golden puffs.
Step 4
Once crisp, set them aside.
Step 5
In a blender, combine the coconut milk, the raw cashews (not the pieces you fried), the green chili with the stem removed (adjust the heat level as per your preference), the ginger, and quartered tomato.
Step 6
Blend for 60 seconds on high speed until it transforms into a smooth, flavorful cream.
Step 7
Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan you fried the cashews and phool makhana in. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds to the pan, allowing them to sizzle and release their earthy aroma. After about one minute add the asafoetida (hing), curry leaves and turmeric powder.
Step 8
Carefully pour the contents of the blender into the pan and allow it to simmer and bubble.
Step 9
Stir the cilantro into the cooking curry base.
Step 10
Add the roasted phool makhana back into the pan.
Step 11
Gently stir the crispy Phool Makhana to the creamy sauce, coating them completely.
Remember, the key to savoring the true essence of our Phool Makhana Sabzi lies in serving it immediately, preserving its crispy texture.
Step 12
Garnish with the fried cashew pieces and fresh cilantro leaves.
The curry perfectly complements the flavors of Amritsari chur chur naan and Kerala parotta.
💡What to serve phool makhana with
This Phool Makhana Sabzi (Fox Nut Curry) effortlessly pairs with an array of nourishing plant-based dishes.
Chaats: Embrace the vibrancy of Indian street food by pairing the Phool Makhana Sabzi with the delightful crunch of onion pakoras and vadai, or the sweet and tangy notes of sweet potato and pomegranate chaat.
Sabjis: Celebrate the diversity of Indian cuisine by serving the Phool Makhana Sabji with Punjabi-style okra, or spinach and potato curry. Chickpea dishes like kala chana (black chickpeas), or Northern-style chana masala provide some great protein. Indian gourd staples like Lauki sabji (bottle gourd), parwal sabji or peerkagai kootu (ridge gourd stew) are healthy pairing options. Aviyal (vegetable and coconut stew), or even vegan butter chicken, made with my perfect seitan chicken recipe, will blow your mind!
Rice and Dal: Complement the creamy curry with a medley of comforting dals, such as chana dal (split chickpea), arhar dal (split pigeon pea), and sattvic red lentil dal. Serve it over a steaming pile of Biryani, coconut pandan rice, or lightly spiced bulgur pilaf.
Bread: Take the feast to the next level by offering an assortment of freshly baked bread. The curry perfectly complements the flavors of Amritsari chur chur naan and Kerala parotta, and can even be eaten with Moroccan Msemen, or whole wheat Arabic Kuboos bread.
👉Top tips
To ensure that your Phool Makhana Sabzi (Lotus Seed Curry) comes out perfectly and retains its crispy texture without becoming soggy, consider the following helpful tips:
- When pan-frying the Phool Makhana, make sure the oil is adequately hot before adding them to the pan. The phool makhana will act like a sponge and soak up oil, so don’t be tempted to add extra oil, or the result will be heavy and greasy.
- When blending the coconut milk, cashews, green chili, ginger, and tomato, ensure a smooth and creamy consistency. A well-blended mixture will help the curry achieve a thick and luxurious texture. If the curry is too thin and watery, the phool will more quickly get soggy.
- Only add the fried Phool Makhana back into the curry just before serving. This prevents them from soaking up too much liquid from the sauce and will maintain their crispy texture.
🤷♀️FAQ
Yes, Phool Makhana is gluten-free. Made from lotus seeds (aka fox nuts), it does not contain any gluten, making it a safe and suitable option for individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. With this recipe, make sure the asafoetida you use doesn’t contain wheat starch as an anti-caking agent, as some brands do.
This is one of the very few recipes on my blog that I insist you eat while it's just been freshly made. Like a bowl of cereal left in milk too long, Phool Makhana Curry gets soggy and sad. Don’t be the laughingstock of the potluck. Eat the stuff now!
✌️My favey dishes to serve with this recipe:
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Phool Makhana Sabzi (lotus seed curry ekadasi recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons cooking oil canola oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, or sunflower oil
- 2 cups pool makhana
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup raw unsalted cashew pieces
- 1 green chili hari mirch, stem removed
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 medium size tomato quartered
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon asafetida (aka hing)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 12 curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
Garnish:
- ¼ cup fried lightly cashew pieces
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder optional
Instructions
- Heat cooking oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Pan-fry raw unsalted cashew pieces until golden brown. Remove the fried cashews and set them aside.
- In the same pan, add Phool Makhana and pan-fry them in the remaining oil until crispy and lightly golden. Remove the fried Phool Makhana from the pan and set them aside.
- In a blender, combine coconut milk, the previously fried cashews, green chili (stem removed), grated fresh ginger, and medium-sized tomato (quartered). Blend the mixture until smooth and set it aside.
- In the same pan, add cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, letting them splutter. Then, add asafoetida, turmeric powder, and curry leaves. Stir briefly to release the flavors.
- Carefully pour the blended mixture into the pan, along with minced cilantro leaves and salt. Stir everything together and let it simmer for a few minutes until the color darkens and the curry is hot and thick.
- Add back the fried Phool Makhana to the curry. Toss them gently in the creamy sauce until well coated.
- Serve the Phool Makhana Sabzi immediately to preserve its crispy texture. Garnish with lightly fried cashew pieces, fresh cilantro leaves, and optional chili powder.
Pam
Very easy to make and so delicious! Adam takes vegan cooking to a different level and explains the recipes so they are so easy to follow.
Adam Sobel
Thanks Pam. Glad you loved this one.