Makhana, For Agriculture, Cooking, Food, Medicinal, Style : Dried, Natural, Raw

Makhana (Fox Nuts) (Euryale ferox) is a perennial plant native to eastern Asia and southern Asia, and is found from northeast India to Korea and Japan, as well as parts of eastern Russia. The Indian state of Bihar produces 90% of the world's fox nuts. It grows in water, producing bright purple flowers. The leaves are large and round, often more than a meter (3  feet) across, with a leaf stalk attached in the centre of the lower surface. The underside of the leaf is purplish, while the upper surface is green. The leaves have a quilted texture, although the stems, flowers, and leaves which float on the surface are covered in sharp prickles. Other leaves are submerged. In India, Euryale normally grows in ponds and wetlands.