Holi hai !!! (It’s Holi)…the entire country reverberates with this chant, there's palpable energy all around and the air fills with jubilation proclaiming the arrival of our favorite festival of colours!
Thandai is largely symbolic with Indian festivals and most popularly associated with Holi…which also marks the onset of Indian summers. This traditional drink is an enigmatic concoction of dry fruits such as almonds, seeds, exotic spices dominated by the ethereal saffron and finally the main ingredient i.e. milk…imparting great flavour and intrinsic cooling qualities giving much solace against the rising temperatures.
Those looking for doses of intoxication during this time usually veer away from the usual spirits and go ahead boldly spiking their Thandai with “Bhaang”(Cannabis). However, my recipe, which is free from such mental transformers, is the one I always make at home.
A sweet nostalgia stirs up in my heart at the thought of this drink which transports me to my childhood days… those when my grandma flavoured our daily dose of milk with Thandai in place of the usual Bournvita, Horlicks or Complan.
Friends hope this Thandai recipe adds more delight to your splendor of colours and maybe tickles that nostalgia also. Enjoy the Thandai masala for its diversity by refrigerating it and using it to flavour sandesh, cheesecakes and panacottas too.
Wishing you all a colourful and joyous Holi!
Thandai Drink
| Course | Drink |
| Servings | Makes 1 cup of Thandai masala. |
| Preparation Time | 10 min. |
| Cook time | 10 min. |
Ingredients for Thandai Masala(1 cup = 250 ml) (1 tbsp = 15 ml) |
|
| ¼ cup | Almonds |
| ¼ cup | Cashew nuts |
| ¼ cup | Pistachios shelled |
| 1 tbsp | Poppy (khus khus) seeds |
| 2 tbsp | Melon seeds (magaj) |
| 2 tbsp | Fresh rose petals |
| 20 strands | Saffron (Kesar) |
| 12 Nos. | Green cardamom |
| 10-12 nos. | Black peppercorn |
Ingredients for the Thandai Drink (makes 1 glass = 200 ml)(1 cup = 250 ml) (1 tbsp = 15 ml) |
|
| 200 ml. | Full fat milk, chilled |
| 3 tbsp | Thandai masala |
| 2 tsp | Sugar |
| Crushed ice to serve | |
| ½ tbsp | Slivered almonds |
| ½ tbsp | Pistachios, chopped |
| A few strands | Saffron |
Instructions for the Thandai Masala |
|
| 1. | Grind all the ingredients into a powder. Make sure not to blend too much, otherwise, the natural oils in the nuts start to release which makes it into a paste. Dry powder is easy to store. |
| 2. | Store in an airtight container in a cool place or refrigerator. |
Instructions for the Thandai Drink |
|
| 1. | Mix 3 tbsp powder with chilled milk. Add the sugar and mix well. Use a mixer to blend the masala well into a paste. Sieve this through a strainer. The powder should infuse well with the milk. |
| 2. | Serve chilled with crushed ice. Garnish with almonds, pistachios, and saffron. |
