Love Thandai but don’t have time to make it? Then try this 5-minute Homemade Instant Thandai Powder (Thandai Masala) and make a glass of your favorite beverage instantly (vegan, gluten-free).
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About Thandai Powder
Prepared with a combination of aromatic spices, nuts, and seeds, Homemade Thandai Powder (Thandai Masala, Thandai Drink Mix) comes together in just 5 minutes.
It is used to make the popular North Indian cooling beverage, Thandai, which is made during the festival of Holi, the festival of colors, and Maha Shivratri.
Making thandai recipe is a little bit of a tedious process. The traditional way to make this Indian drink is by soaking the nuts and spices in milk or water overnight and then grinding them to a fine paste. This paste is mixed with more milk and a few other ingredients.
With time becoming a significant constraint in most people’s lifestyles and the availability of machines that can do an excellent job with grinding, this Thandai masala powder comes in very handy when you like to sip on a chilled glass of this popular drink but have a time crunch.
Making an instant thandai powder recipe at home is easy and quick, and homemade powder is better than a store-bought one.
The homemade powder uses high-quality ingredients, and no added colors or preservatives are added.
This recipe is suitable for making 2 to 2.5 liters of thandai and can be scaled up or down as required.
You can also try my Thandai Syrup recipe, which can also be used to make delicious thandai for the Holi festival.
Here are some more homemade powder recipes that you can make with simple ingredients
- Sambar Powder
- Dry Mint Powder
- Bisi Bele Bath Powder
- Cumin Powder
- Kerala Garam Masala
- Chai Masala
- Sandwich Masala
- Dabeli Masala
- Chaat Masala
Ingredients
Nuts – I have used almonds and cashew nuts. You can use pistachios and walnuts too.
Spices – Green cardamom (hair elaichi) add a beautiful flavor, whereas black peppercorns (kali mirch) give a hint of heat to thandai.
Seeds – You will need melon seeds (magaj), white poppy seeds (posta dana), 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.
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. Not only taste, but they also add to the aroma.
How to Make Thandai Powder
Add
- ½ cup whole almonds
- ½ cup whole cashew nuts
- 25-30 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
to the medium grinder or food processor jar and grind to make a fine powder.
Note – You can also dry roast the ingredients on low flame for 3-4 minutes 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 jar at room temperature for up to a week.
To make Thandai using homemade Thandai powder, heat full-fat milk in a pan over medium heat.
Once the milk comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of Thandai masala powder per cup and cook for 2-3 minutes for the flavors to seep into the milk.
Add sugar to taste and cook for another minute for it to dissolve.
Refrigerate the milk for 1-2 hours or until chilled. Strain it using a fine-mesh strainer, 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thandai powder on it’s own is healthy as it is made using nuts and spices but it is mostly mixed with sugar to make thandai or other recipes. So it is advisable to consume it in moderation.
Pro Tips By Neha
Reduce the black peppercorns if you don’t like spicy kick.
If making it as a summer drink to enhance its cooling effect, increase the fennel seeds.
The leftover pulp after straining the thandai can be used in curries.
Usage Suggestions
Not only Thandai, but this versatile homemade Thandai masala powder mix can be used to make many recipes.
Add it to a glass of milk with sugar and enjoy a chilled drink.
You can use it to make Indian desserts such as kheer, rabdi, kulfi, yogurt, etc.
Not only Indian desserts, but you can make fusion desserts by adding this Thandai drink mix in cakes, ice cream, cheesecake, frozen yogurts, cupcakes, tarts, etc.
Instead of dairy milk, you can use almond milk or any other vegan milk to make yourself a vegan thandai.
Storage Suggestions
Store the dry powder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 to 6 months. Make sure you put on the lid tightly after using the powder.
Also, ensure your spoon is dry.
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Recipe Card
Homemade Instant Thandai Powder Recipe (Thandai Masala)
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole almonds (badam)
- ½ cup whole cashew nuts (kaju)
- 25-30 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 melon seeds (kharbooje ke beej, 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.
- To make Thandai using Thandai powder, heat milk in a pan over medium heat. Once the milk comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of Thandai masala powder per cup of milk and cook for 2-3 minutes for the flavors to seep into the milk. Add sugar to taste and cook for another minute for it to dissolve. Refrigerate the milk for 1-2 hours or until chilled. Strain it using a fine-mesh strainer, nut milk bag, or a muslin cloth. Stir in a few drops of rose water. Garnish with dried rose petals and serve chilled.
Meghna Chatterjee
Awesome recipe & love your blog. Amazing pics & recipes.
Neha Mathur
Thnx a lot for your kind words 🙂
Vasuda Bhaskar
How can I store it for a longer time in an airtight container?
Neha Mathur
You can freeze it for upto a year.
Shobhna
How much milk to be taken for the recipe given above. 1 ltr ?
Neha Mathur
This recipe is good for 2 to 2.5 liters of milk.