Thandai Powder Recipe (Thandai Masala)
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Thandai Powder (Thandai Masala) is a spice mix used to make Thandai Drink, a popular North Indian drink. Not only Thandai, but you can also use this powder to flavor milk or any other dessert. Make it at home in under 5 minutes using my easy recipe.
Here are some more homemade powder recipes: Sambar Powder, Roasted Cumin Powder, and Chaat Masala Powder.
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Table of Contents
Thandai Powder (Thandai Masala, Thandai Drink Mix) is a powdered mix made from ingredients used to prepare Thandai, a popular North Indian drink. This drink is popularly made for Holi or Maha Shivratri.
Not only Thandai, but you can also use Thandai Masala Powder to make a variety of Thandai-flavored desserts. Think Thandai Phirni, Thandai Shahi Tukda, Thandai Kheer, or Thandai Mawa Cake. All these recipes can be made if you have this powder ready.
Making thandai powder at home is easy and quick, and the homemade powder is often superior to store-bought ones. The homemade powder is made with high-quality, natural ingredients and contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Homemade thandai powder is also sugar-free. If you want to make a sugar-free thandai, this one is for you.
Using this powder, you can make 2 to 2.5 liters of thandai. Many times, I have made big batches of this powder, packed them in mini jars, and gifted them to my friends and family as Holi gifts.
Do try my Thandai Syrup Recipe if you want to make instant thandai.
Ingredients
- Nuts – I have used almonds and cashew nuts. You can also use pistachios and walnuts.
- Spices – Green cardamom (hari elaichi) adds a beautiful flavor, whereas black pepper (kali mirch) gives a hint of heat to thandai.
- Seeds – You will need watermelon seeds (magaj), white poppy seeds (posta dana, khus khus), and fennel seeds (saunf). These seeds are readily available at Indian grocery stores. If poppy seeds are unavailable where you live, you can skip adding them to the recipe. You can use pumpkin seeds as a substitute for melon seeds.
- Saffron – Saffron strands add richness and also a hint of yellow color. It is optional, though.
- Dry Rose Petals – This is optional, but I love the flavor they give to the Thandai drink mix. They not only taste but also add to the aroma.
How To Make Thandai Powder Recipe
Step 1: Add the following ingredients to a spice grinder or food processor and grind until a fine powder is achieved.
- ½ cup whole almonds
- ½ cup whole cashew nuts
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 20-25 whole green cardamom
- 2 tablespoon white poppy seeds
- 2 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoon melon seeds
- 15-20 strands of saffron
- 2 tablespoon dried rose petals
Note: You can also dry-roast the ingredients on a low flame for 3-4 minutes before grinding to further enhance their flavor.
Do not over-grind; otherwise, the nuts will release their oil, and the powder will become sticky. Just pulse a few times. Then, let the mixture cool down for 5 minutes. Pulse again and keep cooling the mixture in between. Pulse until a powder is made.
Step 2: Store the powder in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also freeze it for upto a year.
Make Thandai Using Thandai Powder
- Heat full-fat milk in a pan over medium heat. To make this traditional drink vegan, you can use almond milk instead of dairy milk.
- Once the milk comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of Thandai mix per cup and cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing the flavors to infuse.
- Add sugar to taste and cook for an additional minute to allow it to dissolve.
- Refrigerate the milk for 1 to 2 hours, or until it is chilled. Refrigerating is also important for the flavors to seep into the milk, so do not skip this step.
- Strain it using a fine strainer, a nut milk bag, or a muslin cloth.
- Stir in a few drops of rose water and add a few ice cubes. Garnish with dried rose petals and serve chilled.
Can I Use Thandai Powder To Make Instant Thandai?
No, you should not. Many recipes online suggest mixing this powder and serving the thandai in just 5 minutes. But honestly, although you can technically do it, it will not be great.
The thandai powder’s flavors need to seep into the milk for a great-tasting thandai; for that, you must boil it with milk for a while, then let it rest for 1-2 hours.
Thandai is also supposed to be very smooth. When powder is mixed with milk and served directly, the milk will have a gritty texture, which is not what Thandai is supposed to be.
Pro Tips By Neha
Reduce the black peppercorns if you prefer a milder kick.
If you want to make thandai powder to add to water instead of milk, then add ½ cup of milk powder to this recipe. Now you can add it to water to make thandai.
Other Holi Recipes We Recommend
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Thandai Powder Recipe (Thandai Masala)
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole almonds (badam)
- ½ cup whole cashew nuts (kaju)
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 20-25 whole green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 2 tablespoons white poppy seeds (posta dana) (skip if not available)
- 2 tablespoons fennel seeds (saunf)
- 2 tablespoons watermelon seeds (magaj)
- 15-20 saffron strands (optional but recommended)
- 2 tablespoons dry rose petals (optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the medium jar of a grinder or food processor and grind to make a smooth powder.
- Note – You can also dry roast the ingredients for 3-4 minutes over a low flame before grinding to enhance their flavor even more.
- Do not over-grind otherwise, the nuts will release their oil, and the powder will become sticky. Just pulse a few times. Then let the mixture cool down for 5 minutes. Pulse again and keep cooling the mixture in between. Pulse until a powder is made.
- Store the powder in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also freeze it for upto a year.
How much milk to be taken for the recipe given above. 1 ltr ?
This recipe is good for 2 to 2.5 liters of milk.
How can I store it for a longer time in an airtight container?
You can freeze it for upto a year.
Awesome recipe & love your blog. Amazing pics & recipes.
Thnx a lot for your kind words 🙂