In the past few years, makhana, also known as fox nut or lotus seed, has gained popularity as a go-to snack.
Even though makhana is locally produced, these seeds are expensive — one kg costing anywhere between Rs 500 and Rs 1,500.
But why are they so expensive?
The reason lies in the process of procuring these seeds, which according to makhana.org, is a laborious one.
The first step is seed collection.
Reports suggest that the harvest is done from 9 am to 4 pm by skilled farmers, who wade into the muddy ponds with long bamboo poles. They collect the seeds from the bottom of the plants which have spiky thorns.
The second step involves cleaning and storage.
Once collected, the seeds are stored in a device called gaanja. After a two-step cleaning process, they are sun-dried for a couple of hours.
The third step all processed seeds undergo is grading.
The seeds procured in different sizes are passed through 10 different sieves.They are then heated in cast iron pans or earthen pitchers by placing them over a fire.
Next, they are kept at ambient temperatures for three days, which is called tempering.After that, they are roasted and popped, polished, and finally packaged — ready for consumption.
Bihar is the major producer of this superfood; reports state that it produces 80-90 percent of the world’s production.
The ‘Mithila Makhana’ was awarded the geographical indication (GI) tag by the Government in August 2022 to help farmers.