Thandai Recipe

When I was growing up, no Holi celebration in North India was complete without this refreshing Indian cold drink and other specialties like mawa gujiya, sweet shakarpara, and savory namakpare. My mom made a huge matka (earthen pot) full of thandai each year, and all of our friends looked forward to sipping her amazing drink.

Although many ready-made versions of this drink are available, nothing beats the taste of a homemade one. The taste of these ready-made mixes is quite far from the real thing, and I highly recommend making it from scratch at home.

I also have a thandai powder and thandai syrup on the blog. Do check them out, too.

What Is Thandai?

Thandai (also spelled thandaai, and called sardai or shardai in parts of North India) is a traditional chilled spiced milk drink from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. It is made with nuts, seeds, spices, milk, and saffron.

The name comes from the Hindi word thand, meaning “cold,” and the drink earns that name in full, thanks to ingredients like fennel seeds, poppy seeds, and rose, which Ayurveda classifies as natural body coolants.

It is the centerpiece drink of two major Hindu festivals:

• Holi: The festival of colors, celebrated in March
• Maha Shivratri: The night of Lord Shiva’s cosmic dance, also in late winter/early spring

In Varanasi and Mathura, thandai has been served at street stalls for centuries. A traditional bhang thandai (infused with cannabis) is consumed ritually at these festivals, though this recipe is the non-bhang version enjoyed by families across North India.

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Making Thandai

My version of making Thandai Drink is super easy, and even a novice chef can pull it off. Just don’t make these mistakes.

Mistake	What Happens	How to Avoid
Using unsoaked nuts and seeds	Thandai tastes gritty instead of smooth	Soak the nuts, seeds, and spices for at least 5-6 hours or overnight
Skipping straining	Thandai feels coarse and unpleasant	Strain through muslin cloth or a fine sieve for a silky texture
Adding too much black pepper	Thandai becomes overly spicy and harsh	Use black pepper sparingly, just enough for gentle warmth
Not grinding into a fine paste	Flavor doesn’t fully release	Grind with a little milk or water until completely smooth
Making and serving immediately	Flavors don’t develop fully	Let the thandai rest in the fridge for at least 2–4 hours before serving

How To Make Thandai

Soak Ingredients

Step 1: Add the following ingredients to a medium mixing bowl.

• 10-12 whole almonds
• 10-12 whole cashew nuts
• 10-12 raisins
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 10-12 whole green cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon white poppy seeds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon melon seeds
• 1 pinch of saffron strands

Step 2: Add ½ cup of water to the bowl and mix everything well.

Step 3: Cover the bowl with a lid and keep it over the counter for 5-6 hours or overnight.

Make A Paste

Step 4: Transfer the soaked ingredients and the leftover water to a high-speed blender.

Step 5: Blend on high for 2–3 minutes until you get a fine, smooth paste. Add 2-3 tablespoons of milk if required while blending. Scrape the sides of the blender a few times while blending. Set the paste aside.

Cook The Thandai

Step 6: Heat 4 cups of milk in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent the milk from scorching at the bottom of the pan.

Step 7: When the milk comes to a boil, stir in the paste we made earlier, along with ¼ cup granulated white sugar and ½ teaspoon rose water. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. This step cooks out any raw taste from the nuts and lets the spices fully bloom into the milk. Check for sugar, add more if required, and cook for another minute.

Infuse The Flavors

Step 8: Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool down for 10 minutes. Transfer the milk mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to infuse into the milk.

Strain The Thandai

Step 9: Once the milk mixture is chilled well, pass it through a fine-mesh strainer, muslin cloth, or a nut milk bag. Press the solids gently with the back of a spoon to extract all the flavored milk.

Step 10: Discard the leftover pulp.

Step 11: Pour the thandai into serving glasses. Garnish the thandai with fresh or dried rose petals and slivered dried nuts. Serve chilled. You can also add a few ice cubes to each glass.

Variations

• Vegan: To make vegan thandai, replace dairy milk with plant-based milk, such as almond, coconut, cashew, or soy milk.
• Sugar-free: Use stevia or monk fruit.
• Rose: Skip adding saffron and add a tablespoon of rose syrup instead.

Storage Suggestions

You can make thandai in advance and refrigerate it. It will stay good for 2-3 days. Stir well before serving.

You can freeze the ready thandai in popsicle molds for up to a month for a fun twist.