Homemade Thandai Powder Recipe (Thandai Masala) – Ready In 10 Minutes

What Is Thandai Powder?

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.

Where a traditional thandai recipe requires hours of soaking whole nuts before grinding, this powdered version skips the wait entirely. You grind once, store it, and use it on demand for up to two months.

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.

Do try my Thandai Syrup Recipe if you want to make instant thandai.

Why Make Thandai Powder At Home?

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.

How To Make Thandai Powder Recipe

Step 1: Add the following ingredients to a spice grinder or food processor.

• 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

You can also dry-roast the ingredients on a low flame for 3-4 minutes before grinding to further enhance their flavor.

Step 2: Grind until a fine powder is achieved. 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.

Sift through a fine mesh sieve. Any coarse bits can go back in for a second grind.

Store the powder in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also freeze it for upto a year. A rancid or musty smell, or oil seeping out of the powder, means the nuts have oxidized. Discard and make a fresh batch.

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 to allow 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; to do that, 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.