Thandai Recipe with step by step photos. Thandai is a refreshing milk based drink that is made and served during Holi and Mahashivaratri Festivals. As Thandai is so fragrant and soothing, it is also a summer cooler that energises you.
Holi festival is celebrated across North India to mark the victory of Good vs Evil and to signify the beginning of spring season marking the end of the biting cold of Winter season.
This “Festival of Colors” celebrated with much gusto which is all about to love, laugh, forget, forgive, playing with colors and having fun. It is a 2 day affair with the first day known as “Holika Dahan” or Choti Holi” and the second day is the “Rangwali Holi” where color powders and water guns filled with colored water is used to spread colors on all.
Holi is almost like Oktoberfest that is celebrated in Germany. While beer is considered as the official drink of Oktoberfest, Bhang happens to be official drink of Holi which also happens to be alcoholic.
So, Thandai is a rich, non-alcoholic version, milk based drink which is served, so that even the non-alcoholic and the children could enjoy the drink. Thandai is made with wholesome milk, nuts, dry fruits and flavored with rosewater and nutmeg.
The end result is so fragrant, aromatic and tastes absolutely delicious when drank on a hot day. I do not use cardamom to flavor this drink but use nutmeg instead to differentiate from the regular kheer.
I just swiped the nutmeg twice across the grater. Nutmeg is very pungent in nature and an excess of it will make some feel drowsy even but is very good for digestion. So be cautious and go easy on it while using.
If you are looking for more milk based summer coolers, do check out,
Thandai Recipe with step by step photos:
1. Take melon seeds, almonds, cashews, nutmeg, fennel, poppy seeds and pepper corn in a mixie jar. Pulse at regular intervals till ground to a coarse powder.
2. Add this powder to the simmering milk, add gulkand, saffron soaked milk and stir well till there are no lumps. Simmer and cook for 8 – 10 mins. The milk will thicken a bit.
3. Take the pan off the stove, stir in rose water and let it cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or till you serve.
4. Before serving, pass the milk through a sieve to strain out the ground ingredients.
Serve chilled thandai in tall glasses garnished with almond slivers and saffron strands.
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Thandai Recipe details below:
- Whole Milk - 4 cups
- Sugar - 1/3 cup
- Gulkand (sweetened rose preserve) - 1 tsp
- Rose water - 1 tbsp
- Saffron strands - 1 pinch
- Melon seeds - 1 tbsp
- Almonds - 10
- Cashews - 5
- Nutmeg - 1 small pinch
- Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
- Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
- Black pepper corn - 3
- Take milk, that has already been boiled and cooled to room temperature in a deep saucepan.
- Take 2 tbsp of milk separately in a small bowl. Crush the saffron strands and add it to the bowl to soak in the milk for 10 mins.
- Simmer the milk in the sauce pan. Add sugar and stir to dissolve.
- Meanwhile take melon seeds, almonds, cashews, nutmeg, fennel, poppy seeds and pepper corn in a mixie jar.
- Pulse at regular intervals till the ground to a coarse powder.
- Add this powder to the simmering milk, add gulkand, saffron soaked milk and stir well till there are no lumps.
- Simmer and cook for 8 - 10 mins. The milk will thicken a bit.
- Take the pan off the stove, stir in rose water and let it cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or till you serve.
- Before serving, pass the milk through a sieve to strain out the ground ingredients.
- Serve chilled thandai in tall glasses garnished with almond slivers and saffron strands.
Looks yummy, perfect cooling drink for the season.