Thandai Syrup Recipe
Make Thandai Syrup at home and store it for up to 6 months to make Holi special Thandai in minutes. It is easy to make, flavorful, and can be used in other desserts. Here is how to make it (vegan, gluten-free).
Here are some Thandai-flavored recipes: Thandai Shahi Tukra, Thandai Rabdi, Thandai Kheer, and Thandai Phirni.
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Table of Contents
About Thandai Syrup
Thandai Syrup is a versatile Indian syrup made using dried nuts, seeds, and spices. It is used to make Thandai; North India’s famous beverage that is popularly served for the festivals of Holi and Shivratri. Thandai is also a great drink to sip in the summer, as it cools down the body.
This syrup comes together quickly, and you can make an Instant glass of Thandai by mixing a few tablespoons with chilled milk.
To make this syrup, nuts and seeds are soaked in water for 5 to 6 hours, ground with gulkand (rose jam), and then cooked with sugar for 15 to 20 minutes.
Not only Thandai, but this syrup can also add flavor to other Indian or fusion desserts. You can add it to kheer, rabdi, kulfi, mousse, etc., to give them a Holi twist.
Nowadays, Thandai syrup is readily available, but there is nothing like homemade syrup. Why?
Homemade syrup is superior in taste, made with high-quality ingredients, and is free from preservatives and artificial colors. It is also much more economical.
This recipe yields approximately 1 cup of syrup, sufficient for making 12-15 glasses of Thandai. You can scale the recipe up or down as needed.
Ingredients
Nuts – Almonds and cashew nuts are typically used to make this syrup.
Seeds – You will need melon seeds (magaj, kharbooj ke beej), white poppy seeds (posta dana, khus khus), and fennel seeds (saunf). If poppy seeds are not available, skip adding them.
Whole Spices – You will need green cardamom (hari elaichi) and black peppercorns (kali mirch).
Saffron – It adds a nice hint of color and a lovely flavor.
Gulkand (Rose Jam) – It gives a nice, refreshing taste to this syrup.
Sugar sweetens the syrup and is a preservative in this recipe.
How To Make Thandai Syrup
Step 1: Soak the following ingredients in ½ cup of water for 5-6 hours.
- 10-12 whole almonds
- 10-12 whole cashew nuts
- 25-30 whole black peppercorns
- 10-12 whole raisins
- 10-12 whole green cardamom
- 1 teaspoon melon seeds
- 1 teaspoon white poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- pinch of saffron strands
Step 2: Add the soaked ingredients to the small jar of a blender. Add the leftover water and 1 tablespoon of gulkand, and blend to make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
Step 3: Add 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup of water to a nonstick pan, and heat over medium until the sugar dissolves.
Stir frequently while cooking.
Step 4: Reduce the heat to low.
Step 5: Add the paste we made earlier to the pan and cook for 15-20 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky.
Stir frequently while cooking.
Step 6: Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool down.
Step 7: Pour it into a glass bottle and refrigerate for up to 6 months. Use as desired.
Step 8: To make Thandai, add 2 tablespoon of syrup to a glass full of chilled milk and stir well. Garnish with rose petals and serve chilled.
Other Holi Recipes We Recommend
Indian Snacks
Namak Para Recipe (Namak Pare)
Indian Snacks
Shakarpara (Shakkar Pare)
Chaat/ Street Food
Papdi Chaat Recipe (Papri Chaat)
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Thandai Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 10-12 whole almonds
- 10-12 whole cashews
- 25-30 whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 10-12 whole raisins (kaishmish)
- 10-12 whole green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 1 teaspoon melon seeds (kharbooj ke beej)
- 1 teaspoon white poppy seeds (khus khus)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- 1 pinch saffron (kesar)
- 1 tablespoon gulkand (rose jam)
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- Soak almonds, cashew nuts, black peppercorns, raisins, green cardamoms, melon seeds, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, and saffron in ½ cup water for 5-6 hours.
- Add the soaked ingredients to the small jar of a blender along with the leftover water and gulkand and blend to make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
- Add sugar and ½ cup water to a nonstick pan and heat it on medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Stir frequently while cooking.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the paste we made earlier to the pan and cook for 15-20 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky. Stir frequently while cooking.
- Remove the pan from heat and let the mixture cool down. Pour it into a glass bottle and refrigerate for up to 6 months. Use as desired.
- To make Thandai, add 2 tablespoons of syrup to a glass full of chilled milk and stir well. Garnish with rose petals and serve chilled.
Excellent recipe! Our friends loved it… I served it with Almond milk and lots of ice!!