Aliv che Laadu / Halim Ladoo / Garden Cress Seed Sweet Ball Recipe

 Aliv che laadu is a traditional Maharashtrian sweet made with iron and calcium rich Garden Cress seeds. It is a winter delicacy and is specially made for the new moms. The ladoos ( sweet balls) are made using jaggery , fresh coconut , dry fruits and garden cress seeds . These ladoos are very nutritious and provide warmth to the body. Though they are usually made for lactating mothers, people of all age can have this winter treats. 

The Halim seeds are soaked either in coconut water or milk for at least 1 hour before making the ladoos. There are many methods of making the halim ladoo. I am sharing my moms recipe which i relished when i was a new mom. This Diwali when i visited my parents home, my younger sister had come for delivery. She has given birth to cute twins. Mumma daily gave her either kheer or this ladoo made from garden cress ( Aliv) as it boosts milk production in nursing mothers. My hubby and son too loved the ladoos and so i bought a packet of these seeds from my home town. Today as my blog registered 5 lakh page views, i wanted to make some sweet to celebrate it. So made these healthy and nutritious sweet treats . A big thank you to all my readers for making this possible. Hope to get the same support and appreciation as i continue my journey :) 

 

Video Recipe for Aliv Che Ladoo

Aliv che ladoo are very delicious in taste and are soft and sticky in texture. One ladoo can be had daily during winters along with milk as breakfast. As the ladoos are made using fresh coconut, they remain good at room temperature only for a day or two. Hence they need to be refrigerated. On refrigeration they stay good for more than 15 days. The quantity of ingredients used here, yield 35 medium sized ladoos. The recipe can be doubled. I have used slivered almonds in this recipe. Any dry fruit of your choice can be chopped or powdered and added in the recipe. 

                                

                           

                             

Before we move towards the recipe, lets have a look at the benefits of having garden cress seeds in our diet. Garden cress is called Aliv in Marathi and Halim in Hindi. It is an important source of iron, folic acid, calcium , vitamins C, E and A. The seeds are high in calories and protein and contain essential fatty acids .Since they contain phytochemicals that resemble estrogen to some extent, intake of these seeds help to regulate menstruation and stimulate milk production in lactating mothers. That is why women are given foods containing Garden Cress following childbirth.

Preparation time: 1 1/2 hour

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 35 medium sized ladoos

Ingredients :Measurements used 1 cup = 240 ml

• 1/2 cup Aliv / Halim / Garden Cress seeds
• 1 cup milk ( can use coconut water or plain water instead)
• 3 cups scrapped fresh coconut
• 1 1/2 cup Jaggery powder / grated jaggery
• 1 tablespoon Ghee
• 1/4 cup almond slivers

Method:

1. Soak the garden cress seeds / Halim / Aliv in milk in a container for at least 1 hour. If time permits soak them for 2-3 hours. On soaking the seed coat swells and gets covered.

  2. In a large vessel add the scrapped fresh coconut and jaggery powder. Mix well. To this mix add the soaked garden cress seeds. Mix all the ingredients and place the vessel in a pressure cooker. Add enough water to the base of the cooker. 

  3. Pressure cook for 2 whistles and put off the flame. Allow the pressure to release on its own. Now heat ghee in a non-stick wok. Add this cooked mix to it and stir fry very well. Keep cooking and stirring the mix until the mix begins to leave the sides of the wok.

 4. Add the almond slivers to the cooked mixture. Mix well. Put off the flame. Allow the mixture to cool down enough to handle it.

  5. Make medium sized balls of the mixture using your palms.  I could make 35 ladoos with the above quantity of ingredients. Once the ladoo cool down completely. transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate. Use as per need.

  

  Notes:

• The garden cress seeds can be soaked in coconut water or normal water instead of milk.
• Any nut can be used in the ladoos.
• The ladoos have a shelf life of about 15-20 days on refrigeration.
• The recipe can be easily doubled

I hope you like this post. Feel free to share your feedback with us. For more such healthy winter treats that can be had as breakfast , do check my posts on  (just click on the desired heading or image caption for the recipe.

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