3 Everyday Superfoods You're Overlooking: White Sesame, Black Sesame & Roasted Makhana

Pumpkin seeds and makhana get most of the spotlight, but some of the most useful ingredients in an Indian kitchen are the quiet ones. Here are three worth adding back to your pantry, plus simple ways to use them every day.

White Sesame Seeds

White sesame (til) has a mild, nutty flavour that works in both sweet and savoury dishes. Toast a spoonful and sprinkle it over salads, stir-fries or curd rice, or use it in til laddoos and chikki for the festive season.

Try it: Dry-roast for 2 to 3 minutes until golden, cool, and store in an airtight jar for quick toppings all week.

Black Sesame Seeds

Black sesame has a deeper, earthier taste than white sesame and has been a traditional ingredient in Indian kitchens for generations. It's great in chutney podis, laddoos and homemade energy bites.

Try it: Grind roasted black sesame with jaggery and a pinch of cardamom for a quick sweet spread.

Roasted Makhana

Roasted makhana (fox nuts) is light and crunchy, which makes it a smart swap for fried snacks at tea time. It's ready to eat straight from the pack, or you can toss it with a little ghee and your favourite spices.

Try it: Warm a teaspoon of ghee, add roasted makhana, a pinch of salt, pepper and chaat masala, and toss for a minute.

Diwali Recipes to Try This Festive Season

1. White Til Laddoo

You'll need: 1 cup white sesame seeds, 3/4 cup grated jaggery, 2 tbsp ghee, 1/4 tsp cardamom powder.

1. Dry-roast the sesame on low heat until golden and fragrant. Set aside.
2. Melt the jaggery with ghee and 1 tbsp water, stirring until it bubbles and thickens slightly.
3. Add the sesame and cardamom and mix well.
4. Grease your palms and shape small laddoos while the mixture is still warm.

2. Black Sesame Chikki

You'll need: 1 cup black sesame seeds, 3/4 cup jaggery, 1 tsp ghee.

1. Roast the black sesame for 2 to 3 minutes and set aside.
2. Melt the jaggery with ghee until it reaches a hard-crack stage (a drop in cold water should snap).
3. Stir in the sesame, spread thin on a greased plate, and cut into squares while warm.

3. Makhana Kheer

You'll need: 1.5 cups roasted makhana, 1 litre milk, 1/3 cup sugar or jaggery, 1 tbsp ghee, a pinch of cardamom and saffron, chopped cashews and almonds.

1. Roughly crush half the makhana and keep the rest whole.
2. Boil the milk and simmer for 15 minutes until it reduces slightly.
3. Add all the makhana and cook for 10 minutes until soft and creamy.
4. Stir in the sugar, cardamom and saffron, then top with nuts fried in ghee.

4. Masala Makhana Festive Mix

You'll need: 2 cups roasted makhana, 1/4 cup each of pumpkin and sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp white sesame, 1 tbsp ghee, salt, pepper, chaat masala and a pinch of turmeric.

1. Warm the ghee and toss in the makhana and seeds on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the sesame and spices and toss for another minute.
3. Cool completely and store in an airtight jar. It's a lighter snack to serve guests or pack in Diwali gift boxes.

Build a Healthy Snacking Pantry

Pair these with our bestselling Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds and Chia Seeds for a pantry that covers breakfast, snacks and festive sweets. Everything is packed fresh and delivered across South India.

Shop seeds and makhana at Jagan Dry Fruits