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If there is one place that is as busy as the bus stops and airports during Dashain, it’s the ‘mithai pasals’ during Tihar. Crowded and cramped, teeming with people jostling with one another to get their hands on some of the scrumptious looking orange ladoos, regal pale pedas topped with pistachios, and some piping hot lal mohan, mithai pasals perhaps do majority of their business during this season. 

Tihar is when you are offered sweets everywhere you go and you also tend to have a few boxes of treats stocked up in the fridge (that you end up gorging on as well eventually). No wonder most of us put on a few extra kilos this season, having indulged in all that sugary goodness. 

This time, however, we are trying to make our Tihar treats healthy and hearty and have already tested some recipes. Made mostly with dates, nuts, and seeds, these delicious delights are sure to make your guests happy and keep your clothes from feeling a little too tight around the waist once the festivities are over.

Date balls

These are easy to make and require absolutely no baking. All you need to do is dry roast some nuts like almonds, cashews, and walnuts along with some seeds like pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Coarsely grind them in the mixture and set aside. Remove the pits of some soft dates and soften them up further by placing them in boiling hot water before mashing them into a pulp. Add the seed and nut mixture to it and roll into small balls. Once done, dust some coconut powder on them and keep them in the freezer in an airtight container.

Cashew bites

If you found the date balls easy to make, then this will turn out to be even simpler. Dry roast cashews and makhana together and grind them into a coarse texture. Make a syrup by melting jaggery in a pot and pour this on the cashew mix. Spread this out on a flat tray ensuring it’s not more than an inch thick. Top with cocoa nibs. Let it set in the freezer for an hour before taking it out and cutting it into bite sized pieces. You can store this in the fridge for up to a week. And they taste a little like your favorite kaju katli.

Makhana custard

This simple recipe can be whipped up in minutes and is sure to make your guests praise your skills. Serve it chilled and topped with fruits for an ice-cream-like rich feel. Soak makhana, sunflower seeds, almonds, and a few cardamoms along with kesar and a tablespoon of honey in two cups of milk. Let it sit for 30 minutes before blending the mixture. Dry roast some vermicelli and add this into the mixture. You can then add some fruits of your choice to it as well. We liked the texture and flavor of pomegranate, cut grapes and apples, and a thinly sliced banana.

Single serve brownie

This is a great recipe for a small individual dessert that can be made with a few ingredients and in no time at all. You need some oven or microwave safe small bowls so make sure you have those handy. The recipe we are sharing makes enough for three people so just tweak the recipe accordingly to accommodate the number of guests you have. In a large bowl, break three eggs and add three tablespoons of cocoa powder to it. Add two cups of sweetened yogurt and give it a good mix. Pour the batter into individual bowls and bake at medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes. To make a glaze, mix some honey with cocoa and water and spread it on top of the brownies when they are cool enough.

Mango madness

Not everyone likes the traditional sweets with a lot of nuts and seeds, and this recipe is perfect for those people as this tastes and feels like mango cheesecake. Grind some digestive biscuits and add some butter to it. Spread this at the bottom of a medium sized container ensuring the thickness is the same throughout. Blend paneer along with some hung curd and a little bit of honey. Once it’s blended into a smooth paste, mix some cut mangos in it and spread it over the biscuit mixture. Top this with some mango puree and keep it in the fridge for at least three to four hours before serving. Cut it into small squares before serving.

The Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City has imposed a complete ban on the production, sale and distribution of plastic bouquets, flowers and garlands.

Issuing a notice, the sub-metropolitan city said it took the decision to encourage the production of flowers in the local market. The sub-metropolitan city has warned that whoever violates the order would be booked.

Chief Administrative Officer of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City Bharat Gautam said that it was the responsibility of all citizens to produce, promote and use the natural flowers in the local market, while urging that use of natural flowers was equally environmentally-friendly besides its economic gains.

Meanwhile, 113 fugitives who fled the jail after the Gen-Z protests have returned to the Regional Prison in Bhimphedi in the district, Chief of Bhimphedi Prison Subas Paudel said.

The prison administration shared that a total of 325 inmates have returned to the jails including the Bhimphedi Prison as of this morning.

The Palestinian group Hamas handed over Bipin Joshi's body to Israel.

Hamas handed over the bodies of four people, including Joshi, to Israel through the Red Cross on Monday night, the Times of Israel reported.

Bipin Joshi's status was unknown until the day the hostages were released.

ALSO READ:Bipin Joshi confirmed dead after two years

Israel had not confirmed Joshi's death earlier.

The terror group handed over the bodies of Nepali national Bipin Joshi and Israeli citizens Gully Illouz, Yossi Sharabi and Daniel Perez.

Hamas has not yet handed over the bodies of 24 dead hostages as per the agreement.

The weather will remain partly cloudy in the hilly areas of Koshi, Gandaki and Sudurpaschim Provinces and mainly fair in the rest of the country.

Light rain is likely to occur at one or two places in the hilly region of Koshi Province.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the weather tonight will also remain mainly fair throughout the country. There is no substantial effect of the monsoon system across the country.