Easy Alivaachey Laadoo – Delicious and Nutritious

Alivaachey Laadoo – sweet, delicious and nutritious, I salivate just thinking about them. So very soft and yet nutty at the same time, these have always been one of my most favorite Ladoos (laddoo). I used to watch like a hawk every time my Mom made them…. fidgeting impatiently, until they were ready! When I made them by myself for the first time, it felt so effortless: all my collected memories gave me perfect ‘directions’!

Water-loving seeds

Aliv seeds (‘Aa-leev’; also known as Chandrashoor, Halim, Halon, Aserio, Asario, Garden Cress, Habbat al hamra, etc.) are rich in a wide range of nutrients. Organic chemist that I am, I can’t help but think of these seeds as ‘hydrophilic’ … they just love water!

As soon as they come in contact with water, they absorb it – each seed competing with all the seeds nearby – you see the clumping almost instantaneously! The only way to rinse the surface dust/dirt is to rinse them in a fine mesh strainer under running water. You have to gently break up the clumps to ensure proper rinsing.

How to make Laadoo?

I used to pester my Mom to make these Ladoos, promising to help her with everything. Of course, the most tedious part of this process was to grate the fresh coconut. However, in some of the places where we lived while I was growing up, fresh coconuts were not readily available. So, it was not always even possible to make them whenever the craving hit!

To make the Ladoos, you begin by soaking the rinsed seeds in milk for about an hour. The intensely ‘hydrophilic’ seeds quickly soak up all the liquid from the milk. Swelling to more than double their original size, you get a big gelatinous clump, ready for the next step.

While the Aliv seeds soak, you grate the coconut. Deceptively simple-sounding, this is a serious arm-work-out, and my arms would be sore for a couple of days. For the past several years, though, I’ve enjoyed the convenience of readily available grated coconut in the frozen section of Indian markets (in the US). Now, that is truly simple! After that, all you have to do is simmer the milk-soaked Aliv with coconut and jaggery until the mixture becomes a bit dry. After it cools, stir in a little freshly crushed cardamom, and…. time to shape it into yummy Alivaachey Laadoo!

Great support for new mothers

Alivaachey Ladoo and Alivaachi Kheer are considered ‘essential fare’ for new mothers in Maharashtra, India. Packed with iron and other vital nutrients, the soft, gelatinous textures soothe and nourish their post- childbirth tired bodies.

Combining the seeds with coconut not only makes the Ladoos and Kheer extra tasty, it also supports lactation. The Alpha Linolenic acid (ALA) in the Aliv, in conjunction with other micro-nutrients, is believed to provide a wide range of health benefits for both the mother and the new-born.

It is interesting to note that Aliv is quite rich in ALA, an essential fatty acid, which is not widely found in plant-based foods. As for iron, just one tablespoon of Aliv seeds can provide nearly 60% of the body’s daily requirement. Extraordinary!

NOTE: Consuming Aliv during pregnancy is NOT recommended – it is considered an abortifacient.

Aliv and Cress – making the connection

While growing up, I only knew about the Ladoos and Kheer that Mom made. After coming to the US, I had seen watercress greens at the grocery store. Intrigued, I asked my new American friends about it; they told me that you could use the greens to add a bit of spiciness to a salad, or as a sandwich topping. So I tried it, and soon found ways to incorporate it into various Indian recipes as well (Dal, Paratha, Raita, etc.).

Through sheer serendipity, as I was exploring the wares at a tiny store that sold spices and various ethnic foods in bulk, something caught my eye! I spotted some seeds in a jar that looked exactly like Aliv! Excited, I looked at the label – it said “Cress”. Just to be sure, I asked the store owner what folks used it for and he said they sprouted it and used it in salads.

I still wasn’t sure, though, since many seeds can look quite similar. I bought a tiny amount, came home and immediately put it to the “water- test”! Sure enough, it behaved exactly like Aliv. Yesss! I could now make my favorite Alivaachey Laadoo!

Some of the information in the online world regarding watercress and garden cress can be rather confusing. I continued to “dig”, and have discovered that these two are actually not the same, although they both belong to the cabbage family. Aliv (garden cress) is Lepidium sativum, while watercress is Nasturtium officinale.

Tiny package, filled with goodness

I have enjoyed learning about this tiny seed, packed with so many vital nutrients. It’s been fascinating to read about how its many benefits, well documented in Ayurveda, continue to be examined through the modern scientific lens.

For my friends who know Hindi, I found this article by Acharya Balkrishan Ji of Patanjali, to be very informative. Useful in boosting immunity, fighting infections, combating anemia and osteoporosis….this tiny and rather ordinary looking seed seems to be quite a powerhouse. Maybe that’s the reason these nutritious and delicious Laadoos are also suitable for Upvas (religious fast)!

Special Diets

These Laadoos are gluten-free and soy-free; if you wish to make them vegan, you could soak the seeds in your preferred non-dairy milk.

So, maybe you should add some Aliv to your life too. Go ahead, make some, and have a taste of the delicious and nutritious Alivaachey Laadoo. I will certainly not be surprised if you go back for more… Yumm!

Do leave a review and star rating… much appreciated!

Enjoy!

Alivaachey Laadoo- Delicious and Nutritious

Aliv seeds are rinsed and soaked in milk; after adding grated fresh coconut and jaggery, the mixture is simmered until somewhat dry. After cooling, ground cardamom is mixed in before shaping the mixture into small balls – makes 11-12 laadoos/laddoos.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

resting time – to cool the mixture 20 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Indian

Servings 12 people

Calories 104 kcal

Equipment

• Mortar and pestle, or small electric grinder – to powder the cardamom seeds; if not available, see Recipe Notes for alternate directions

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/4 cup Aliv seeds also called Cress, Aserio, Asario, Halim, Halon; needs to be inspected very carefully for tiny stones, grit, which can be tedious and time-consuming
• 3/8 cup milk whole milk preferred; if vegan, may replace with preferred dairy-free milk
• 1 cup fresh Grated coconut frozen, thawed OK
• 3/4 cup jaggery – chopped or powdered also called Gud ("g-oo-d"), Gool; powdered form also called Punjabi Shakkar; if not available, can use medium brown sugar, but the taste will be a bit different
• 1/4 tsp green cardamom – freshly ground "old" cardamom powder does not have much flavor

Instructions

 

• Check cress seeds for small stones, etc; small black round seeds are often found in cress as a contaminant
  
• 
• Place in a fine strainer and rinse seeds under running tap water, scrubbing and separating the clumps while rinsing. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  
• 
• Heat the milk to almost boiling (about 30-40 seconds in the microwave) and add to the Aliv seeds.
  
• Stir to break up clumps and set aside for about an hour. The milk gets absorbed fully as the seeds swell, forming a mucilaginous coating.
  
• Add coconut and jaggery to the milk-soaked Aliv seeds and mix – it becomes a bit watery.
  
• 
• 
• Transfer the mixture to a wide bottomed pan; cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 min

  Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer about 10 min, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning on the bottom. the Aliv and coconut will look "cooked".
  
• 
• Remove cover, stir fry for another 2-3 min, until the mixture looks a bit dry.
  
• Remove from heat and set aside to cool- uncovered, about 20 min;
• While the mixture is cooling, peel cardamoms and pound in a mortar and pestle to make a coarse powder.
• Add cardamom powder to the mixture, mix well and measure out scant 2 tbsp portions; shape each portion into a tight small balls – the ladoos. Makes 11-12 small-med Ladoos.
  
• Ready to serve immediately, maybe accompanied by a cup of coffee/tea
  
• Place in a wide, shallow lidded container. Store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature if serving refrigerated ladoos.
• Enjoy!

Notes

Frozen grated coconut:

If using frozen grated coconut, thaw to room temp for about 15min; or microwave on medium setting for about 1 min, then set aside for 3-4 min)

To grind cardamom seeds:

If a grinder or mortar and pestle is not available:

• place the seeds on a sturdy paper towel;
• fold the paper over the seeds to make an envelope shaped packet;
• place the packet flat on a sturdy surface, and roll firmly with a rolling pin to crush the seeds.
• If need be, pound with the ends of the rolling pin.
• carefully open the packet and collect the coarsely ground powder

 

To store the ladoos:

Place the ladoos in a single layer in a shallow lidded container. Do not stack. Store in the refrigerator; will keep for 4-5 days. Bring to room temp before serving.

(Because of the fresh coconut, it must be refrigerated – it will spoil much faster if left on the counter, but is perfectly OK to leave on the counter for 1-2 days)

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 5mgPotassium: 34mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 5mg

Keyword Aliv seeds, cardamom, Cress seeds, grated fresh coconut, gud, Halim seeds, jaggery, laddoo, ladoo, milk

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