Chia, tishi and makhana in a Bengali breakfast and tiffin

The harder part is using them every day. Here is how they, and makhana, fit into the breakfasts and tiffins Kolkata already eats.

What each one brings

These three are often bought together, but they are quite different.

These are general nutrition figures, not health promises. If you have diabetes, a thyroid or digestive condition, or are pregnant, ask your doctor before adding seeds to your daily diet.

Chia: soak it first

Chia Seeds need liquid. Stir one tablespoon into about six tablespoons of water, milk or doi and leave it for at least twenty minutes, stirring once so it does not clump. It turns into a soft gel.

• Doi-chire with chia. Stir soaked chia into the doi before you add the chire, a banana and a little gur or honey. It adds body without changing the taste.
• Overnight in milk. Soak chia in milk in the fridge, and add fruit in the morning. It makes a cold breakfast for a sticky Kolkata summer.
• In a nimbu-jol or sherbet. A teaspoon of soaked chia in a glass of lemon water works on a hot afternoon.

Chia is often confused with sabja seeds, which are black and swell faster. Sabja is what goes into falooda. Both can be used in drinks, but they are different seeds.

Tishi: grind it, or most of it passes through

Whole flax seeds have a hard coat that the body does not break down well, so grind them. Dry roast Flax Seeds on low heat until they crackle, cool them, and grind a small jar at a time in the mixer.

• In ruti or paratha dough. Add a tablespoon of ground tishi per cup of atta. The ruti comes out a little nuttier and slightly darker.
• On muri makha. Sprinkle a teaspoon over muri with onion, chanachur, mustard oil and green chilli. It blends in.
• In a mukhwas mix. Roasted whole tishi with a pinch of salt makes a light after-meal chew.

Ground flax goes stale quickly because of its oil. Keep the jar in the fridge and use it within a couple of weeks.

Makhana: the tiffin snack

Makhana is the easiest of the three to eat. Roast it in a teaspoon of ghee on low heat for eight to ten minutes, until a piece crunches right through, then add salt, pepper or a pinch of chaat masala. It keeps crisp in a sealed box for a few days.

• In the office tiffin. A small box of roasted makhana travels well on a crowded metro ride and does not go soggy by lunch.
• With muri. A handful of roasted makhana mixed into muri makha adds crunch.
• As a payesh. Makhana cooked in milk with sugar and elaichi is made in many homes as a light alternative to rice payesh, particularly on fasting days.

Keeping seeds in Kolkata’s damp

Kolkata’s humidity, especially through the monsoon, is hard on seeds and makhana. Makhana loses its crunch within a day in an open bowl, and flax can turn stale in a warm kitchen. Buy smaller packs, keep them in airtight jars, and re-roast makhana for a minute if it goes soft.

If you want several seeds in one go, Five Seeds Mix saves buying each separately. You will find the rest on our seeds shelf, and today’s dry fruit and seed prices in Kolkata on our city page. Delivery is free on every order, and orders start at ₹1,000. If you add dates to your doi-chire, our guide on how to judge a good khajur is worth a read.

Questions people ask