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.
