Thandai - Indian festival Holi special recipe

Thandai is most popular drink served during holi festival which is best summer treat also. It is a chilled almond flavored drink and tastes yummy. When searching through holi recipes i found this to be easy so thought to give a try.

It is bit spicy and flavorful and also acts as best refreshing drink to cool down the heat. I am trying this for the first time and just loved it. The recipe called for poppy seeds and the same is not allowed to be sold here in gulf, so i proceeded without it, but still it tasted yummy. Do try this and you will surely love it.

Thandai Recipe - Ingredients:
Preparation time: 2 1/2hrs (including soaking) | Recipe cuisine: Indian | Recipe category: Drink

Milk - 1/2 liter ( 2 cups)
Sugar -  2 tbsp
Saffron strands - 3-4 strands
or essence -  3 drops( i used essence)
Dried rose petals  - few
or
Rose essence  - 2 drops

To soak and grind:
Almonds  - 20 nos
Cashews  -  5
Cardamon - 2 nos
Pepper corns - 1 tsp
Melon seeds or sunflower seeds - 1 tbsp
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds -  1 tsp

Method:
1. Soak all the ingredients under ' to soak and grind' for 2 hrs. Mean while boil the milk and cool down.
Add sugar and keep chilled in refrigerator.

 

2. Peel the skin of almonds and grind it with rest of ingredients to smooth paste.

 

3.Spoon the  paste to the milk and mix well. Keep again in the fridge for at least 20 mins so that the masala's will blend with the milk well.

 

4.Strain it and discard the residue. Finally add the saffron essence and rose essence to the almond milk and mix well.

 

Chill it and serve in glasses topped with badam or pistachios or rose petals.

Note:

• If using rose petals you can grind it and add along with almonds.
• It tastes better when serve chilled.