Thandai is a very popular drink in North India prepared during Mahasivarathiri and Holi. So as a south Indian I am unaware of this Holi festival, so googled to know about Holi. Being a food blogger thought of doing something for this Holi, found too many recipes but since I was back to home by yesterday from hometown with full of tiredness, thought of doing two recipes. Among one is this THANDAI which is the most important drink for this festival.

I love a lot when it comes to milk may be a drink or dessert, so when I found the THANDAI recipe with milk, saffron and few spices, how to miss it. So started checking for the availability of the ingredients in my kitchen and started preparing it at once.

It is a refreshing drink especially for summer which acts as a body coolant too. Taking this to Fiesta Friday hosted by Angie, Let us move on to the recipe…

Thandai

Ingredients:

• Milk – 1 litre
• Sugar – 5 tbsp
• Saffron – 6 to 8 strands
• Rose essence – ½ tsp
• Almonds / Badam – 30 nos
• Poppy / Kasakasa seeds – 1 tsp
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
• Black Peppercorns – 5 nos

Milk boiling with Saffron threads

Grounded spice paste

Grounded spice paste with milk

Residue getting strained

Residue

Garnished with pista/pistachios and saffron threads

Thandai

Preparation:

• Soak Almonds/Badam, poppy seeds, fennel seeds and black peppercorns all together in water for 20 mins.
• Boil the milk and keep in medium flame for another 10 mins. Scrap out the sides with spoon and put them again to the milk.
• Add in the sugar, saffron threads and give a stir, for the sugar to get dissolve in the milk.
• Grind the soaked ingredients to fine paste by adding little water if needed.
• Mash the thread nicely to get dissolve in the milk.
• Cool down the milk, now add in the grounded and stir well, so that no lumps are formed.
• Set aside for 20 mins and then strain it. Discard the residue, add the rose essence.
• Refrigerate it and serve chilled.

Garnish with finely chopped pista/pistachios and few strands of saffron.

Note: After the grounded paste is added, give a resting time for it to get blended well with milk. You can also add rose petals before serving.