I am sharing how to make the best thandai recipe with homemade thandai powder. If you have ever seen a Bollywood Holi song, two things that symbolize the Holi festival are colors and Thandai.
In movies, it is usually the bhang thandai that is intoxicating but today I’m sharing this super delicious nonalcoholic thandai drink recipe that all age groups can enjoy and is super nutritious too!! If you love thandai, make some extra and try Thandai Cake, Thandai Ice cream, and Thandai Truffles. These are delicious!! Here is another delicious and nutritious milk recipe that is also a favorite - Masala Milk (doodh)
What is Thandai
Thandai is a refreshing Indian summer drink enjoyed during Holi, Maha Shivratri, and hot weather in North India. It’s also called Shardai.
Thandai gets its name from the Hindi word “Thanda,” which means “cold.” This chilled-flavored milk is known to have a cooling effect on the body and provide relief from the heat. Hence the name Thandai.
To make Thandai, Thandai powder, made with (usually almonds and cashews), seeds (such as white poppy seeds, fennel seeds, and watermelon seeds), and aromatic spices (such as green cardamom, saffron, peppercorns, and rose petals), is mixed with warm milk.
Set it to cool and refrigerate overnight which allows the milk to soak all the flavors.
You can also make this delicious drink by mixing thandai paste in milk which is made by soaking the nuts overnight or in hot water and then grinding them to a smooth paste.
But I prefer the instant method which doesn’t involve any soaking. Just grind nuts and spices to a fine powder and add it to milk. That way I can store and use it longer.
Thandai is also known for its other health benefits like boosting energy and immunity, improving digestion, and preventing constipation.
Many use Bhang and Thandai interchangeably but they are not the same.
Bhang is also made during Holi celebrations and is made from buds, leaves, and flowers of the cannabis that are added to thandai which is known to cause feelings of euphoria a.k.a makes you high.
We prefer the regular refreshing Thandai that we all can enjoy including kids and it’s super customizable and so nutritious!
Recipe Ingredients
Thandai Powder - For the powder, we will need
Nuts - I prefer to use almonds and cashews, you can also add pistachios. Seeds - white poppy seeds (khuskhus) and fennel seeds (sauf). You can also add 1 tablespoon of melon seeds. Spices - Use whole spices like black peppercorns, and green cardamom. You can skip black pepper if you do not prefer any warming spices. Flavor - saffron, and dried rose petals. You can substitute rose water instead of rose petals.
Milk - Milk forms the base of this recipe, so I prefer using whole milk as it gives a nice and creamy texture.
Saffron - I like to add a pinch of saffron strands for that nice yellow color. Feel free to skip.
Sugar - I use regular white granulated sugar to sweeten this traditional drink. Some prefer to drink sugar-free thandai so this is optional and to your taste. You can use sweeteners of choice like jaggery powder or maple syrup, but note these will change the flavor slightly.
Please refer to the recipe card for exact measurements for all the ingredients.
How To Make Thandai Powder (Stepwise Photos)
1 to 3 - Transfer almonds, cashews, cardamom seeds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, black peppercorns, dry rose petals, and saffron (optional) to a grinder or spice jar grinder. 4 - Grind in intervals of 10 seconds each to get a fine powder consistency. Do not grind longer as it will make the nuts release their oil. Keep aside. Best Thandai Powder is ready!! You can make this masala powder ahead of time and keep refrigerated in an air-tight container for 2-3 weeks.
How to Make Thandai (Stepwise Photos)
5 - In a heavy bottom pan, on medium heat, bring milk to a boil, stirring intermittently to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 6 - While the milk is heating up, add some warm milk to the bowl of saffron and mix. Let it soak for 10 minutes for that nice yellow color. 7 - Once the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low. Stir in the soaked saffron milk, white sugar, and thandai powder. Mix well until lump-free. Use a whisk if needed. Take it off heat. 8 - Allow it to cool completely and then transfer to a pitcher to refrigerate it further for at least a minimum of 2-4 hours (or until chilled) or overnight (best).
Serving Suggestions
Thandai is best served chilled! For serving, In a glass add some ice cubes (optional), and pour it in the chilled as is, or strain it through a sieve if you prefer it smooth. We like ours as is. If you prefer to strain, use a fine-mesh sieve and press the remaining solids in the sieve with the back of the spoon to get the maximum flavor. Garnish with sliced almonds, pistachios, and dry rose petals, and serve immediately.
Storage Instructions
Thandai powder - you can make it in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. Thandai - You can also make it in advance (1-2 days) and store covered in the refrigerator.
Recipe Tips
Grind the nuts, seeds, and spices in 10-15 seconds intervals to get a fine powder consistency. Do not grind longer as that will cause nuts to release their oil. I prefer to keep the masala powder sugar-free and instead add it to the warm milk as that way everyone can adjust the sweetness to their preference. You can use sweeteners of choice like sugar, jaggery powder, or maple syrup I find, adding thandai powder to boiled (hot) milk, helps milk soak the flavors better. So highly recommend it. Instead of dry rose petals, you can add rose water (1-2 tablespoons or more). Add once the milk has cooled. Adjust to your taste. You can easily double the recipe!!
Frequently asked questions
More Holi Recipes
Hope you enjoy this Homemade Thandai recipe!! If you give this recipe a try, please rate it by clicking stars ⭐️ on the recipe card. Thank you ❤️! You can also follow me on Facebook | Instagram to see what’s cooking in my kitchen!!
Recipe Card
