Thandai Recipe

4.95 from 19 votes

Rich, refreshing, and super easy-to-make, this Thandai recipe is the perfect drink for the festive occasion of Holi and Shivratri. This thick and luscious drink is packed with dry nuts and flavored with fragrant spices.

Prep: 20

Cook: 10

Total: 30

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Calories: 235kcal

Author: Ruchi

Ingredients

½ teaspoon Saffron strands
¼ cup Warm milk

THANDAI INGREDIENTS

2 cups Half and Half (use regular milk)
1¾ cup Whole milk
¾ tablespoon Rose water
1/4 cup Sugar + 2 tablespoons (adjust according to taste)
½ cup Water (optional)

THANDAI MASALA INGREDIENTS- YIELDS ¾ CUPS OF THANDAI MIX

12 - Almonds
12 - Cashews
10 - Pistachios
¾ teaspoon Black Peppercorns (adjust according to taste)
10 - Cardamom Powder (or use 1½ teaspoons of Cardamom Powder)
1 teaspoon Poppy Seeds
1 teaspoon Fennel seeds (or use 1½ teaspoons of fennel seeds powder)
1 tablespoon Melon Seeds (chaar magaz)
½ teaspoon Cinnamon powder
½ teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
1¼ teaspoons Rose petal spread (gulkand)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

THANDAI MASALA

Transfer Almonds, Cashews, Melon Seeds, cardamom seeds, Fennel Seeds, Pistachios, Poppy Seeds, and Black Peppercorns to a motor and pestle.
Pound the spices to a fine powder.
Add nutmeg powder and cinnamon. Mix to combine. Set aside.

THANDAI PREPARATION

Soak saffron in warm milk for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, combine milk + half-n-half in a large pot.
Add sugar and whisk to combine.
Stir in Thandai Powder. Whisk it well.
Stir in Rose petal jam or gulkand.
Bring the milk mixture to a boil. Keep whisking the thandai. Once the thandai comes to a full boil, take it off the flame.
Allow the Thandai to sit for a while (an hour or more) so that it can soak in all the flavors. Stir in rose water and mix it well.
Strain the mixture through a sieve. Press the leftover gritty stuff with a spoon and allow the thandai to drain through the sieve.
Pour in saffron milk that we had prepared earlier in the recipe. Mix to combine.
Cover the Thandai mix with a plastic cover. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight.
Chilled thandai is ready to be served. Give it a good stir.
Pour in glasses. Garnish with slivered almonds, saffron strands and serve chilled.

Video

Notes

Cooking tips to make the best Thandai Recipe

» Soaking saffron strands in hot milk releases its color and flavor.

» Pour in rose water, after the thandai is cooled. You can go easy on the rose water- taste and then add more.

» No rose spread/gulkand (sweet preserve of rose petals) on hand, no worries. Flavor thandai recipe with double the quantity of rose water. Also, add dried rose petal leaves to Thandai. This will elevate its taste and boost its flavor.

» Water is optional. But if you find thandai too thick to drink. Add a little water to adjust consistency to your liking.

» Thandai tastes best when served chilled.

FAQ's

» What can you use instead of half-n-half? The closest substitute would be full-fat milk. Use 3 cups of whole milk instead.

» Can you make this Thandai recipe vegan? Of course! Simply swap the half-n-half + milk with vegan milk. The rest of the recipe and process remain the same.

» Can’t find poppy seeds? No worries. Leave them out and proceed with the recipe.

» Can you store Thandai masala in the fridge? Absolutely, in an airtight jar.

Sterilize a glass jar.
Air-dry it completely.
Transfer the thandai mix or masala to this jar and store it in your refrigerator.

Nutrition