Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Thandai Recipe-Holi Special/How to Make Thandai

Thandai, also known as “Sardai”, is a cold drink prepared with a mixture of almonds, fennel seeds, magaztari seeds (watermelon kernel), rose petals, pepper, cardamom, saffron, milk and sugar. This drink is common in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan – mostly in Peshawar, Banaras / Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

It is native to India and is often associated with the Maha Shivaratri and Holi festival.

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

“Bhang Ki Thandai” is a mildly intoxicating drink popular in many parts of the Indian sub-continent, which is made by mixing a small amount of bhang (cannabis leaves and buds) with thandai (with whole milk being used). The fat content of the ground-up nuts and milk solubilize the fat-soluble cannabinoids.

Holi is coming up on March 6th and I made this drink to refresh all my past hold memories. Holi is one of my favorite Indian festival as it involves having lots of thandai and jalebis. Getting together with friends or dragging them out of house to play with colors and water balloons used to be so much fun. After coming to US we do not play with water balloons but still we have fun with some organic dry colors 🙂

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Now some info about Holi

Holi has a religious purpose, symbolically signified by the legend of Holika. The night before Holi, bonfires are lit, in a ceremony known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Little Holi. People gather near fires, sing and dance. The next day, Holi, also known as Dhuli in Sanskrit, or Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated. Children and youth spray coloured powder solutions (Gulal) at each other, laugh and celebrate, while elders tend to smear dry coloured powder (Abir) on each other’s face. Visitors to homes are first teased with colours, then served with Holi delicacies, desserts and drinks. After playing with colours, and cleaning up, people bathe, put on clean clothes, visit friends and family.

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Like Holika Dahan, Kama Dahanam is celebrated in some parts of India. The festival of colours in these parts is called Rangapanchami, and occurs on fifth day after Poornima

In Braj region around Mathura, in north India, the festivities may last more than week. The rituals go beyond playing with colours, and include a day where men go around with shields and women have the right to playfully beat them on their shields with sticks.

In south India, some worship and make offerings to Kaamadeva, the love god of Indian mythology, on Holi.

Adapted from Tarla Dalal.com

Thandai Recipe-Holi Special/How to Make Thandai
Recipe Type: Drinks
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Anita Mokashi
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 4 1/2 cups full fat milk
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • a pinch of freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch)
  • a few saffron (kesar) strands
  • To Be Blended Into A Fine Powder
  • 1/4 cup almonds (badam)
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
  • 2 tbsp fennel seeds (saunf)
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
  • 20 whole white peppercorns
Instructions
  1. Boil the milk in a deep pan, allow it to cool completely.
  2. Combine the powder and milk in a deep bowl, mix well using a whisk and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  3. Strain the mixture through a sieve, add the sugar, pepper powder and saffron and mix well.
  4. Pour equal quantities of the thandai into 4 individual glasses and serve chilled.

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

 

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

 

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

 

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

 

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai

Thandai Recipe, How to make thandai