Thandai recipe. This Indian Cooling Beverage recipe is a popular Holi Special Recipe which has dry fruits, saffron, nuts, and spices.
Holi is the festival of colors where Indians revel in bright colors, delectable food, lip-smacking snacks and cool beverages. Thandai is a traditional drink which is very popular in northern parts of India. Thandai Recipe is a nutritious beverage which has nuts, dry fruits, spices, and milk.
The word “thandai” is derived from the Hindi word “thanda” which means “cool”. This beverage is consumed to cool off during the warm Holi weather. Holi marks the onset of Spring and end of winter. This beverage is meant to cool down the body after being out in the sun. In the traditional Thandai Recipe bhaang (cannabis) are also added, but since my two-and-half-year-old will be having this, I have skipped adding anything like that.
How to Make this Easy Thandai Recipe?
This Thandai Recipe has a mix of nuts – almonds, pistachio, cashew. They make this Thandai Recipe a very nutritious beverage.
It also contains fragrant spices like saunf (fennel seeds), peppercorns, cloves. I have also added rose water, saffron for the much-needed taste and the subtle color.
- Almond – 1/2 cup
- Pistachio – 1/2 cup
- Cashew – 1/2 cup
- Poppy Seeds – 2 tablespoons
- Fennel Seeds – 1 tablespoon
- Black Peppercorn – 1/2 teaspoon
- Cove – 2-3
- Cardamom powder – 2 teaspoon
- Rose Water – 2 teaspoons
- Saffron – a pinch, soaked in 3 tablespoons of milk
- Sugar – 1/2 cup
- Milk – 2 cups chilled
- Ice Cubes – as required
- Water – 1 cup
- Chopped nuts for garnishing
- Soak almonds, pistachio, cashew, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, pepper, cloves in water and keep aside for 2 hours.
- After the dry fruits and spices are thoroughly soaked, pour them in a mixer grinder along with the water, it’s soaked in.
- Add sugar, cardamom powder, saffron soaked milk, rose water and grind them till it resembles a smooth paste
- In a Jar pour 4-5 tablespoons of the Thandai Paste and add chilled milk. (you can add little water to dilute milk)
- Stir it well
- Add ice cubes
- Pour into glasses and garnish with chopped nuts or rose petals
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38 comments
This drink looks awesome, I am going to try it one day!;) thank you!
This looks extremely delicious. I am happy to come across your post and Holi is the time when we think about thandai.. Will try your recipe for sure. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, this looks do delicious. Happy Friday!
This looks amazing! I just might have to try it.
I’ve never heard of this before but it looks very healthy and tasty. Thank you for sharing and widening my horizons.
Wow this is so interesting! I’ve never heard of this type of drink before!
This sounds so delicious! Definitely pinning for later sounds like a great summer drink!
This really looks like a good drink! Never made it but hope mine comes out as good as yours 🙂
Definitely trying this! A healthy and refreshing drink idea.
Sounds like a great drink Tina! Plus, I love saffron so I really have to try making it!
Wow.. this is so delicious and right on time for Holi!!
Lovely pics and a very simple recipe which is perfect for summers
Nicely written recipe and lovely pictures. I feel like grabbing the thandai right out of the screen. Will definitely try making it by referring ur recipe and share feedback 🙂
Grinding the masalas and the nuts in a mortar and pestle is great way to get deeper flavour. Must have in the summer. Such a cool recipe and I’m drooling over the pictures
I have always made thandai through the bottle available in the market. But your recipe looks quite easy
i wish i saw it before holi, i tried makign seeing a youtube video and it turned out yuck!!!
Every Holi I got to taste thandai at my Aunt house which is very delightful and refreshing. Never tried this at home. This is easy and quick recipe.
Love desi home made beverages, Thandai is my favorite.
Thandai is one of my favorite summer beverages. I have always made it with the thanks powder available in the market. I am sure , homemade powder must have it’s special flavors.
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Yummy recipe, will give it a try
Thandai looks yummy and healthy. Thanks for such a detailed recipe.I am gonna try this for sure.
Holi is here, and it is so incomplete without thandai. I am glad you shared this easy recipe to make this festival special!!
I am an all-time Thadai lover. No matters if it is holi or not, it is my go-to drink during summer. I quit Tea once its start to get hot and replace it with thadai. Thanks for the recipe.
This looks incredibly yum Tina,I am surely trying this drool worthy recipe this Holi buddy
Wow your post and recipe has set the festive mood already. I had never tried to make thandai recipe at home, and did not know that it is so easy to make. thanks for sharing recipe, will try it for sure.
Never tried making Thandai at home, but this time will surely try your recipe. Looks so healthy n refreshing.
Tina, you have listed all the ingredients and simple way to make Thandai. I mostly opted for packets Thandai, shall try to make it at home this time as sometimes I don’t like excess of one particular spice in packets.
We have been having thandai from childhood and it’s really nice and healthy drink would surely check out your recipe
I have loved thandai since my childhood days but never got the chance to make it. This Holi will try this out for sure.
This looks so delicious. I have never made thandai at home. I will definitely try your recipe to make it this time.
I prepare a simple version of this but we love lassi more and I make it quite rarely. But yes this is definitely a more filling recipe for snack time too.
Such drool-worthy and tempting recipe. I was planning with my society friends for holi party. I am sure this would be a perfect recipe to add to the celebration
Thandai and jalzeera are traditional drinks for Holi festival in my home . This is the most authentic recipe for a thandai – thanks for sharing !
Wow, this looks perfect drink for summer . There are so many nutritional values also . Looks tasty and healthy ..I will try out the recipe.
Yay, I have been looking for a Thandai recipe for quite some time to make on this Holi. I am saving this and definitely going to make this soon. The pictures look so beautiful and delicious, lol.
Thandai is one of my husbands favourite drinks for summer. I always opted for the ready-made mix but thanks to your recipe I absolutely love it. I definitely will try making this very soon
Thanks for sharing this. I personally love thandie and never knew how to make it so got it readymade every year for holi. This time I am going to try making this as it’s very easy to make.
Wow, we love thandai at home. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. I am definitely trying this out coming weekend during Holi.