Thandai (Indian spiced milk drink) recipe
This Indian drink is made for the Indian Festival of Holi, a spring festival also known as the festival of love. It is renowned for its cooling and health giving properties.
20 minute preparation time does not include the infusing period.
Variations
Thandai with Rose water
Add 1½ tablespoons of rose water with the sugar when making the Thandai. Omit the saffron and instead garnish with dried rose petals.
Shopping tip: Rose petals can be purchased at health food and international food stores.
Thandai with Orange flower Water
Prepare the Thandai, adding 1½ tablespoons of orange flower water with the sugar.
Interesting fact: In Morocco, orange flower water is given to arriving guests to use to wash their hands before a meal.
Thandai with Anise
Make the Thandai, replacing the fennel seed with anise seed.
Serving tip: Thandai drinks are served when the temperatures are high and are renowned for their cooling properties.
Almond Water Thandai
Make the Thandai, replacing the milk with filtered or mineral water. There is no need to boil the water.
Ingredients
- 1 l whole milk
- 40 g blanched almonds
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 0.5 tsp cardamom seeds
- 20 white peppercorns
- 60 g icing sugar
- 1 pinch saffron strands
Details
- Cuisine: Indian
- Recipe Type: Drink
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 5 mins
- Serves: 6
Step-by-step
- Boil the milk in a saucepan and leave to cool.
- Meanwhile, in a small food processor bowl or coffee grinder, grind the almonds, pumpkin, poppy, fennel and cardamom seeds and the white peppercorns to a powder.
- Add the ground almond-spice mixture to the cooled milk and mix well.
- Refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours or overnight to infuse.
- Drain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, add the sugar and mix well. Serve chilled, garnished with a few sprigs of saffron.
Recipe taken from 1000 Juices, Green Drinks and Smoothies by Deborah Gray. Published by Apple Press, £12.99.
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