LET'S KNOW HOW THE TRUTH IS PREPARED

 

 

Makhana is delicious and nutritious to eat, even today traditional methods areadopted in its preparation, which is very complicated, how Makhana is transported from the farm to the market and our home. Let us know that the fruits of Makhana are very prickly, so later they go under water and sit down. After about 1 to 2 months, all the thorns melt, after which the farmers collect the flowers of Makhana in the month of September to October. After this its seeds are dried in strong sunlight. The country receives foreign exchange of 22 to 25 crores annually from Makhana exports. Traders send Makhana from Bihar to states like Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, use of agricultural chemicals in the cultivation of Makhana, due to which it is also called organic food. There are very few things that take care of your health along with the taste. In such a situation, Makhana can prove to be a boon for you.

Makhane Seed Collection

Makhana harvesting is a lengthy process that requires skilled labor. The harvesting of the crop usually starts at 7:00 am and continues till around 5:00 pm. It is difficult to get seeds from the bottom of the pond, but now Makhana is also cultivated in the field, it is relatively easy to collect the seeds from the field.

Seed cleaning and storage

Once the seeds are collected, they are deposited in a horn-shaped device called 'ganja'. The re-vibration process is carried out in a cylindrical device to further clean them. After cleaning, these seeds are left to dry in the sun for a few hours and then packed in small bags. Makhana seeds lose up to 3 percent moisture in direct sunlight, which makes them easy to take to commercial markets. The seeds can be kept at home for a long time. Long and cylindrical bamboo sticks are used to preserve the seeds. These are further covered with cow dung and plastered. It is also carefully covered with a thick cloth to maintain the required temperature.

Makhana Grading

Now the processed seeds are sieved several times for grading. The grading process involves makhana seeds of varying sizes in some Indian states, separated by separate sieves, which are essentially rectangular iron plates, also known as 'jharnas'. Sometimes the seeds are made to pass through 10 different sieves. These graded seeds are then safely stored in separate packings. Seed grading enables uniform heating of each nut during roasting and this increases the efficiency of processing of makhana. There are generally two types of seeds at the producer level - lava and thuri. While the lava is swollen and white in color with reddish spots, the thurri is half-roasted and is very hard and reddish in colour. 

Pre-heating 

Sun-dried makhana seeds are usually heated in a cast iron or earthen pitcher by placing them on the fire and stirring continuously. The surface temperature of the pan varies from 250°C – 3000°C and the heating time at full capacity of the earthen pot is about 5 to 6 minutes.

Seed tempering

Hot seeds need to be kept in ambient and suitable conditions for three days, which is also called as tempering of makhana seeds. This process helps loosen the kernels within the hard shell of the seed. 

Roasting and cracking seeds

Roasting the makhana seeds immediately after drying is done at high temperature and is usually done in a cast iron pan with constant stirring. This further ensures that they last for a long time, otherwise they have a tendency to deteriorate. Once the fried seeds have cooled down, these seeds are cleaned by hand, cleaned with a wooden object until a white puff comes out of the black colored seeds. With the breaking of the shell, the kernel ejects and immediately expands and doubles its size. It is Makhana Pop or Lava. It is important that no residue of the black seeds is left on the doubly expanded white puff and they are kept in packets to be sold in the markets.

Polishing

The seeds of Makhana have to go through the process of polishing by rubbing them together in bamboo baskets. Polishing smooths the surface, providing pop more whiteness and shine.

packaging

Polythene bags and simple jute sacks of different sizes are also used to pack the popped makhana.The fruits of Makhana are very prickly, so later they go under water and sit down. After about 1 to 2 months, all the thorns melt, after which the farmers collect the flowers of Makhana in the month of September to October. After this its seeds are dried in strong sunlight.