Thandai Recipe (Authentic Holi Special Spiced Milk 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.
- Note – If it’s too hot where you live, then soak the ingredients at room temperature for 3-4 hours and then refrigerate them for another 2-3 hours.
- Add soaked ingredients to a blender with the leftover water and blend to make a fine 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
- 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 that we made earlier, sugar, and rose water.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Check for sugar and add more if required and cook for another minute.
- Remove the pan from heat and let the mixture cool down for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the milk mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate it for 3-4 hours for the flavors to mingle.
Strain The Thandai
- Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, muslin cloth, or a nut milk bag, and discard the leftover pulp.
- Pour the Thandai into serving glasses. Garnish with 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.
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.
If you don't like the spicy kick, then reduce the amount of black peppercorns.
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
