Su's Recipes: Makhane ki Kheer (Foxnut Pudding) - Celebrating Indian Independence Day

August 15, the Independence Day of India, is celebrated with great gusto. It is also a national holiday, with educational institutions, private and government organizations remain closed, but open for short period of time for celebrations in the morning. It is a time to contemplate what we have achieved by freedom and how we achieved it. Though India had no dearth of religious and community festivals; but until Independence there was no true national festival that the whole country could partake of. Independence Day begins to commemorate the greatest moment in Indian history, and it signifies feelings of nationalism, solidarity and celebration.

What I can think of as a kid about the independence day; when I used to go to school for flag hoisting ceremony dressed in school-uniform and eagerly waiting for the sweet distribution. Also I remember attending the flower show, at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens in Bangalore, This is an annual show organized 15 days around Independence Day. Its a treat to watch those flowers and the glass house, which is housed for a different variety of flowers & indoor plants.

Once I stepped to the high school, time around the independence day was meant to represent the school in march past and cultural activities. What I remember the most about our march past; is our uniform specially meant for this celebration time and generally used to be designed differently by one of our teacher who was also our Guides Captain. As we passed the school and stepped into the college, things changed and all this took obviously a back-seat. Now its a strong rush of nostalgia as I think about it.

How I miss hearing those patriotic songs, which brings out the feeling of patriotism in us, like Vande Mataram, Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo and may be our National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. Among these songs my most favorite patriotic song is Jahan Dal Dal Pe Sone ki Chidiya Karti hai Basera, which is so mesmerizing.

So to enjoy this day, I could only think of is preparing a sweet dish for my family. For we Indians, be it any festival or any happy moment, without a sweet dish is never complete. So here is the celebrations for the Indepence day marked with a recipe of Makhane Kheer (Foxnut Pudding).

Makhane Kheer or Foxnut Pudding is a sweet dish, which is highly nutritious. Makhane is a flowering plant classified in the water lily family. It is an aquatic crop, known as Gorgon Nut or Fox Nut. It is organic non-cereal food, which is extensively grown in the stagnant water of wetlands, tanks, ponds lakes and ditches. Because of its abundant nutrition value, this is often consumed in India during festivals and fasts.

Ingredients:

1. Makhane (Foxnut) - 1 cup

2. Milk - 1 litre

3. Nuts - 1/4 cup (almonds, pista, cashew)

4. Cardomom powder - 1 tsp.

5. Clarified butter (ghee) - 2 tbsp.

Cooking Method:

1. Soak the nuts in water so that it gets soft and perfect for garnishing.

2. Heat ghee in a pan and roast the makhane in low flame until it get crisp.

3. In a deep bottomed pan, bring the milk to boil and add makhane to it and keep stirring until crispy makhane mixed in the milk and the milk is reduced to half the quantity.

4. Add Cardamom powder the kheer and switch off the flame.

3. Serve it in a bowl; garnished with chopped nuts, which is soaked in water for atleast 2 to 3 hrs.

Note:

1. The nutritive value in Fox nut is so good that this can be given to kids in the form of kheer (pudding) or can also be served by just adding salt and little ground-pepper to the ghee-fried makhane.