Thandai Recipe (Authentic Holi Drink)
Thandai is a classic North Indian festive beverage made with nuts, seeds, spices, milk, and saffron. It is popular in the North Indian states of UP and Rajasthan, and is especially made for the festivals of Holi and Maha Shivratri. Make it using my easy recipe.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 10-12 almonds
- 10-12 cashew nuts
- 10-12 raisins (kishmish)
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 10-12 green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 1 teaspoon white poppy seeds (khus khus) optional
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- 1 teaspoon melon seeds (magaz)
- 1 pinch saffron (kesar) optional
- 4 cups whole milk (full-fat milk)
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar or to taste
- ½ teaspoon rose water
Instructions
Make Thandai Paste
- Add almonds, cashew nuts, black peppercorns, raisins, green cardamoms, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, melon seeds, and saffron to a medium mixing bowl.
- Add ½ cup of water to the bowl and stir well.
- Cover the bowl with a lid and keep it over the counter for 5-6 hours or overnight.
- Transfer the soaked ingredients and the leftover water to a high-speed blender.
- 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.
If it’s too hot where you live, soak the ingredients at room temperature for 3-4 hours, then refrigerate for another 2-3 hours.
The paste test: Rub a small amount between your fingers. If it feels at all grainy, blend for another 60 seconds. The paste should feel completely smooth, almost like thick cream.
You can remove the almond peel if you wish. After trying this recipe multiple times, I have found that this extra step doesn’t make much of a difference in the final taste, so I skip it.
Cook The Thandai
- Heat milk in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent the milk from scorching at the bottom of the pan.
- When the milk comes to a boil, stir in the paste we made earlier, along with sugar and 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 in the milk. Check for sugar, add more if required, and cook for another minute.
- 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 or best overnight to allow the flavors to mingle.
Strain The Thandai
- Now pass the mixture 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. Discard the leftover pulp.
- 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 cubes to each glass.
Video
Notes
Make sure to measure the ingredients properly, as the proportions make a big difference in the final taste.
If you don't like the spicy kick, then reduce the amount of black peppercorns.
If white poppy seeds (khus khus) are unavailable, simply leave them out and slightly increase the cashews to maintain creaminess. Do not substitute with blue poppy seeds as they have a significantly different flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 492mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 399IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 337mg | Iron: 1mg
