Fox Nut

Euryale ferox, the prickly waterlily, makhānā or gorgon plant, is a water lily found in southern and eastern Asia and the only living member of its genus. Its edible seeds, called fox nuts or gorgon nuts, are dried and eaten mostly in Asia. The leaves are large, round and often more than a metre across, with sharp prickles on the stems and leaves, and the violet-and-white flowers often pierce through them. The fruit is a spiny capsule holding many spongy seeds. India is the largest producer, mostly in Bihar, where the seeds are roasted or fried like popcorn or cooked in kheer. The seeds are also used in Cantonese soup, Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. The genus is named after the mythical Greek monster Euryale.