Aliv or Halim Ladoo, is a traditional Maharashtrian sweet made using garden cress seeds (also known as aliv seeds or halim seeds), jaggery, and ghee. A recipe for making Ale Pak:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup garden cress seeds (aliv or halim seeds)
- 1 cup jaggery, grated or powdered
- 1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
- Chopped nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios) for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
1. Wash the garden cress seeds (aliv seeds) thoroughly and drain any excess water. Spread them out on a clean cloth and let them dry completely.
2. Heat a pan or kadhai over medium heat and dry roast the dried garden cress seeds for 2-3 minutes until they become aromatic. Keep stirring continuously to prevent burning. Remove the roasted seeds from the pan and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add ghee and let it melt. Once the ghee is hot, add grated jaggery and water to the pan.
4. Stir continuously until the jaggery melts and forms a syrup. Cook the syrup until it reaches a soft-ball consistency. To check if the syrup is ready, drop a small amount into a bowl of cold water. It should form a soft ball that holds its shape but can be easily flattened with your fingers.
5. Once the syrup reaches the desired consistency, reduce the heat to low and add roasted garden cress seeds (aliv seeds) to the syrup.
6. Mix well to coat the seeds evenly with the syrup. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.
7. Add cardamom powder to the mixture and mix well.
8. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down slightly until it is safe to handle.
9. Grease your palms with a little ghee and shape the mixture into small round balls while it is still warm. If the mixture becomes too hard to shape, reheat it slightly to soften.
10. Optionally, garnish each ladoo with chopped nuts while shaping them.
11. Allow the Ale Pak ladoos to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
12. Enjoy these nutritious and delicious Ale Pak ladoos as a healthy snack or dessert!
These ladoos are not only tasty but also packed with the goodness of garden cress seeds, making them a nutritious treat for all ages.