Thandai: Spiced Milk for Holi and Maha Shivaratri
Making Thandai at home is so very easy and the result of so delicious that you will not go back to readymade Thandai. The best part of that you can very easily customise the spice mix to suit your palate. As the name suggest, this drink has a cooling effect on the body, and one that is much needed in the scorching heat of the North Indian plains.Serve Thandai with some Ghevar and Gujjiyas to have a wonderful Holi!
Equipment
- 1 small bowl
- 1 heavy-bottomed vessel (1 litre capacity)
- Small Grinder
- Spatula
- Glasses to Serve Thandai
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Milk 400 ml
- 2 Pinches Saffron
- 3 tbsp Sugar
To Soak and Grind to a Paste
- 6 Almonds
- 3 Cashews
- 8 Pistachios
- 1/2 tbsp Poppy Seeds
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 1 tbsp Gulkand 0r 10 to 12 Rose Petals
To Grind to a Powder
- 1/4 tsp Cardamom Seeds
- 1/4 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1/2 " Stick of Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg Powder
- 1/4 tsp Pepper Corns
Instructions
Making A Paste of the Dry Fruits
- Soak 6 Almonds, 3 Cashews, 10 Pistachios, and 1/2 tbsp Poppy Seeds in 1/4 cup of water for about 1 hour.
- Grind the soaked ingredients along with the water they were soaked in and 1 tbsp Gulkand (or 10-12 rose petals) into a smooth paste. If you wish for a lighter coloured Thandai, you can peel the soaked almonds. I used them with the skin.
Making the Spice Powder
- Grind 1/4 tsp cardamom seeds, 1/4 tsp fennel seeds, 1/4 tsp pepper corns, 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder and 1/2" piece of cinnamon to a coarse powder.
- Soaking the Saffron
- Soak 2 large pinches of saffron strands in 1 tbsp warm milk for about 10 minutes.
Making Thandai
- Over medium heat, bring 2 cups of milk (400 ml) to a boil.
- Lower heat and let the milk simmer.
- Add the cardamom-pepper-cinnamon-nutmeg-fennel powder to the milk, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the almond-cashew-pistachio-poppy seeds paste to the simmering milk and mix well.
- Turn off the heat.
- Add the soaked saffron strands and 3 tbsp sugar to the milk.
- Mix well.
- Cover and set aside to cool.
Serving Suggestions
- Refrigerate the Thandai for at least 3 hours. I prefer to refrigerate Thandai overnight.
- Serve chilled Thandai with Gujjiya or Ghevar.
Nutrition
Calories: 147 kcalCarbohydrates: 18 gProtein: 5 gFat: 7 gSaturated Fat: 3 gCholesterol: 12 mgSodium: 55 mgPotassium: 228 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 16 gVitamin A: 212 IUVitamin C: 1 mgCalcium: 170 mgIron: 1 mg