Puffed Rice Squares

Ingredients:

Puffed Rice 2 1/2 Cups
Dried Cranberries 2 Tbsps
Almonds 10
Cashews 10
Black Sesame Seeds 1 Tbsp
Jaggery (Grated) 1 1/4 Cups
Ghee 1 tsp

Method of preparation:

Grease a square dish with half a tsp of ghee and keep aside.
Roughly chop cranberries.
Slice the cashews and almonds.
Toast the sesame seeds for a minute on low flame and keep aside.

Heat half of ghee in a pan, add grated jaggery and few tablespoons of water.
Let the jaggery melt and let the syrup thicken a bit.
When the syrup forms a soft ball when dropped in a bowl of water, remove the pan from heat.
Stir in puffed rice, chopped cranberries, cashews, almonds and sesame seeds.
Mix thoroughly and remove the mixture onto the greased bowl.
Press thoroughly and flatten the puffed rice mixture.
When its warm enough to handle, divide the flattened mixture into 3 inch squares.
Let it cool completely and store the puffed rice squares in a sealed jar and serve as desired.

Notes: Make sure to get the jaggery syrup right.

Suggestions: If puffed rice is not crisp enough, toast the puffed rice on low flame for a minute and cool to room temperature. Then add it to the jaggery syrup once crisped.
Variations: Substitute cranberries with raisins or your choice of dried fruit.