Thandai

Name: Thandai
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 30 Almonds (blanched); 20 Pistachios (soaked); 2 tbsp Melon Seeds (Char Magaz); 2 tbsp Poppy Seeds; 1 tbsp Fennel Seeds; 10 Green Cardamoms; 10 Black Peppercorns; 0.5 tsp Nutmeg Powder; 2 tbsp dried Rose petals; Few strands of Saffron (optional); 1 lt full cream Milk; 0.5 cup Sugar; 2 tbsp sliced Nuts for garnishing

by Leena Kohli (@leenakohli)

Prep Time

30min

Cook Time

10min

Total Time

40min

Indian Beverage Vegetarian Gluten-Free

Thandai is a traditional Indian drink popular during festivals like Holi, Mahashivratri and hot summer months. It is a refreshing and cooling beverage made with a blend of nuts, spices, rose petals and saffron. These ingredients are soaked, ground into a fine paste, and mixed with milk and sugar to...

Ingredients

6 Servings

Thandai Paste

30
Almonds (blanched)
20
Pistachios (soaked)
2tbsp
Melon Seeds (Char Magaz)
2tbsp
Poppy Seeds
1tbsp
Fennel Seeds
10
Green Cardamoms
10
Black Peppercorns
1/2tsp
Nutmeg Powder
2tbsp
dried Rose petals
Few strands of Saffron (optional)

For making Thandai

1
lt full cream Milk
1/2cup
Sugar
2tbsp
sliced Nuts for garnishing

How to make Thandai

To prepare Thandai Paste

In hot water, soak almonds and pistachios in one bowl, and melon and poppy seeds in another for 20-30 minutes. Peel the almonds, drain the soaked seeds and set aside.
Combine blanched almonds, pistachios, soaked seeds, fennel seeds, green cardamoms, black peppercorns, nutmeg powder, rose petals and saffron (if using) in a blender. Blend into a smooth paste, adding milk or water if necessary. Set aside.

To prepare Thandai

Bring the milk to a boil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed pot, then let it simmer for a few minutes.
Add sugar to the pot, and continuously until the sugar dissolves.
Stir in the thandai paste, and let the mixture simmer on low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and let the thandai cool to room temperature for the milk to absorb all the flavours of the spices.
Strain the thandai through a fine sieve into a pitcher. Press down the solids with the back of a spoon while straining to get the maximum flavours into the thandai.
Refrigerate for a few hours to chill thoroughly.
Serve chilled, garnished with sliced nuts, rose petals, or saffron strands as desired.