Make Thandai Syrup at home and store it for up to 6 months to make Holi special Thandai in minutes. It is easy, flavorful, and can be used in other desserts. Here is how to make it (vegan, gluten-free).
Here are some Thandai flavored recipes that you may like – Thandai Shahi Tukra, Thandai Rabdi, Thandai Kheer, and Thandai Phirni.
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About Thandai Syrup
Thandai Syrup is a versatile Indian syrup made using nuts, seeds, and spices. It is used to make Thandai, North India’s famous Holi and Shivratri beverage.
It is a very quick and efficient method to make Thandai.
This syrup comes together quickly, and you can make an Instant glass of Thandai by mixing a few tablespoons of it in 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 your 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 in the market, but there is nothing like homemade.
Why? Because homemade syrup is made using high-quality ingredients and is free of preservatives and artificial colors. It is also much more economical to make it at home.
This recipe is vegan and gluten-free and can be easily doubled or tripled.
Ingredients
Nuts – Almonds and cashew nuts are typically used to make this syrup.
Seeds – You will need melon seeds (magaj), white poppy seeds (posta dana), and fennel seeds (saunf). If poppy seeds are not available, skip adding them.
Whole Spices – You will need green cardamom (hair 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 – Sugar sweetens the syrup and is a preservative in this recipe.
How To Make Thandai Syrup
Soak
- 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
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 1 tablespoon gulkand and blend to make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
Add 1 cup sugar and ½ cup water to a pan and heat it over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
Stir frequently while cooking.
Reduce the heat to low.
Once the sugar is melted, 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 tablespoon of syrup to a glass full of chilled milk and stir well. Garnish with rose petals and serve chilled.
Usage Suggestions
Use it to make Thandai.
You can use the syrup to flavor Indian desserts such as kheer, rabdi, shahi tukda, etc., or use it to top ice creams, kulfi, milkshakes, or lassi.
You can also use it to flavor continental desserts such as cheesecake, banana bread, muffins, etc.
Storage Suggestions
Transfer the cooled Thandai syrup to a glass bottle and refrigerate for 5-6 months.
Use a clean and dry spoon whenever you remove the syrup from the bottle. Also, close the lid tightly after every use.
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Recipe Card
Thandai Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 10-12 whole almonds
- 10-12 whole cashews
- 25-30 whole black peppercorns
- 10-12 whole raisins
- 10-12 whole green cardamoms
- 1 teaspoon melon seeds
- 1 teaspoon white poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 pinch saffron
- 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 pan and heat it on medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Stir frequently while cooking.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Once the sugar is melted, 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.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!