Makhana begins at the bottom of a pond.
A water crop
Makhana, or fox nut, is the seed of a prickly water plant that grows in the ponds and wetlands of Mithila in north Bihar. Mithila makhana carries a Geographical Indication tag.
Hard work, by hand
The seeds settle on the pond bed and are gathered by hand, often by people diving and sieving through the mud. They are then cleaned, dried, roasted and popped, traditionally by hand, which turns a hard black seed into the white puff that people know.
How it’s eaten
Makhana is roasted with ghee and a pinch of salt, cooked into kheer, or eaten on fasting days in many homes. In Mithila, it is also part of weddings and festivals.