Thandai Recipe or Sardai is a cool and refreshing drink prepared with dry nuts and flavored with fragrant spices. A popular drink prepared for the festive occasion of Holi.
It’s just one week short of Holi and what I can think of besides savory snacks is THAND…AI. ‘Thand’ in Hindi means cold, and therefore thandai refers to’a cool and refreshing drink.’ Holi, a festival of color is incomplete without Gujiya and Thandai recipe. So here I am sharing with you an heirloom recipe from my grandmother’s kitchen (biji). Thandai Recipe
Growing up, our biji (grandmother) prepared a considerable pitcher of Thandai on Holi. Her thandai recipe was a hit in the neighborhood, and everyone just loved it. For kids, she used to skip some ingredients and would customize the recipe to our liking. This recipe brings backs so many childhood memories, and its taste and flavor are still afresh in my mouth.
What is Thandai?
Before we begin, here are some cool facts related to this drink. Thandai is quite popular in the North and is a summer coolant too! it is also referred to as ‘Bhang.’ Bhang is the official drink of Holi. Bhang is a thick drink prepared with flower heads of cannabis and is served during the Holi season. On the other hand, Thandai is the non-alcoholic version, and as kids, we were strictly served Thandai.
How to make Thandai recipe?
This recipe is prepared with a combination of dry nuts, rose petal paste (gulkand), saffron strands, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, charmagaz (mixed melon seeds) and spices. The use of all these nuts and spices is what makes this drink so soothing and refreshing.
To make this drink, combine all the nuts in a blender and grind for a gritty texture. Later added this gritty mix to the boiled milk. Once the spice-mix is added to the milk, allow it to sit for a while (an hour or more) so that it can soak in all the flavors. Later sieve it through a strainer and serve cold!
Some tips to consider!
- Soaking saffron strands in hot milk releases its color and flavor.
- Pour in rose water, after the thandai is cooled. You can go easy on the rose water- taste and then add more.
- No rose spread/gulkand (sweet preserve of rose petals) on hand, no worries. Flavor thandai recipe with double the quantity of rose water. Adding dried rose petal leaves to Thandai will elevate its taste and boost its flavor.
- Thandai tastes best when served chilled.
This season, discover the tastiest Thandai infused with a perfect balance of aromatic Indian spices and flavor. I encourage you to give this recipe a try and share your feedback! If you have questions related to this recipe, send me an email, and I would be happy to answer them. We’d love to hear from you. 🙂
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Thandai Recipe
Ingredients
THANDAI INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups Half and Half (use regular milk)
- 2 cups Whole milk
- 1 tablespoon Rose water
- 1/4 cup Sugar + 2 tablespoons (adjust according to taste)
- 3/4 cup Water (adjust accordingly)
THANDAI MASALA INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon Cashews
- 1 tablespoon Melon Seeds (chaar magaz)
- 1/2 teaspoon Saffron strands
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
- 1-2 teaspoon Rose petal spread (gulkand)
- 1.5 teaspoon Fennel seeds powder
- 1.5 teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Poppy Seeds
- 12 pieces Almonds
- 15 pieces Pistachios
- 3/4 teaspoon Black Peppercorns (adjust according to taste)
Instructions
- Boil milk in a bowl and soak saffron strands in it. Allow it to sit for 15 - 20 minutes. Soaking saffron strands in hot milk releases its color and flavor.
- Stir it with a spoon and milk will have a beautiful pale yellow color. Set it aside.
- Let's assemble our thandai masala ingredients. Feel free to adjust spices according to taste.
- Add all the nuts and spices to a grinder.
- Grind spices to their powdered form. Set it aside.
- You can ground the spices in a motor and pestle too.
- Boil milk in a heavy bottomed pan.
- When it comes to a full boil, stir in the nuts and spices one by one.
- Whisk so that no lumps remain. Add sugar and keep stirring the liquid. Give it a good boil and take it off the flame. Allow it to cool completely.
- Stir in saffron flavored milk, rose spread and rose water. If no rose spread available add 2 tablespoons of rose water.
- Allow it to sit for a while (an hour or more) so that it can soak in all the flavors. Later sieve it through a strainer, add water and refrigerate this drink for at least 3-4 hours or until chilled.
- Thandai tastes best when served chilled.
Naazparvein says
I buy your product of thandai, but I don’t know how to ise it please send how to prepare this.
Ruchi says
Naazparvein, we do not sell any product through our blog.
Please contact or search online about the product you have bought.
Thank you!
Garima Choudhary says
Thanks for sharing the recipe but you missed one important thing. All the ingredients should be soaked overnight preferrably in an earthen pot. Then only all the ingredients will give thier coolent effect.
These soaked ingredients should be then crushed properly so they releases thier juices . After seiveing it mix extract in cool milk and you can add mishri for sweetness.
Ruchi says
Thank you for sharing this method with me Garima!
As mentioned in the post this is how my grandma taught us how to prepare Thandai. Therefore, I have shared her way of teaching.
But would love to try the way you have mentioned. Will try it next year for Holi. 😊
Sirisha V says
Hello Ruchi,
Thank you for posting this; it was one of the top 5 when I searched for Thandai recipes; Going to make it for the first time for about 18 people. Two questions for you :
1.total 12 cups of milk is mentioned- that’s about 3 litres- is that correct ??
2. Can I substitute melon seeds with sunflower OR pumpkin seeds ?
Thank you so much 🙂
Ruchi says
Sirisha,
1. The total dairy mentioned is 4 cups that equals 1 liter + 3/4 cup water.
2. Yes, you can use sunflower seeds or skip that altogether.
Have fun!
Anusha J says
Making it for Holi. It’s delicious. Thank you.
Ruchi says
Thank you, Anusha.😊
Ramya sharma says
Hi mam today I make this recipe. Thank you mam
Ruchi says
You are welcome, Ramya. 😊
Yamini says
Already tried it during last ganpati maha bhog each and every person who came for darshan liked the delicious thandai..not only this people started asking for d recipe and since people liked it much.. keeping thandai as drink for ganpati maha bhog this year too.
Ruchi says
Yamini, thank you for your kind words! That’s so sweet of you. 😍😍
I am glad that everyone loved the recipe. God bless you, dear.
Sumeet Mestry says
Maam, I want to store the thandai masala powder in airtight container for around 6 month. What shall I do?
Thank you Ma’am for introducing such a wonderfull recipe.
Ruchi says
Glad to hear that you found the recipe helpful.
Store as you mentioned – in an airtight container.
Sterilize the jar, air dry it completely and store in your refrigerator.
Priyanka Agrawal says
Is it possible to make thandai without
Melon seeds??
Ruchi says
Thanks for stopping by Priyanka! Melon seeds are the key ingredient in making thandai.
But if you don’t have them on hand then feel free to leave them out melon seeds. Happy Holi!!
Nanz says
Looks yummy! Will try it out for sure. Tried your noodles recipe and was perfect blend of spices and pictures were a great help.Thanks for sharing and maintaining a great website for all.
RK says
Thanks Nanz! Glad you liked the site! 🙂
Rashi says
Hello Ruchi,
To begin with magnificent blog and mouth watering pictures! I live in Singapore and khus khus is banned here. Can u plz tell me the substitute of it. I would love to try this recipe of yours. its looks so yummy and healthy.
RK says
Thanks for stopping by Rashi! Khus khus can be replaced by Melon seeds, if you can find them in your local stores. If not, you can leave them out totally from the recipe. 🙂
Samra says
Hello Ruchi. Wonderful website, easy navigation and very well explained tutorial. Your Thandai recipe was a hit at my potluck yesterday. Everyone was happy and thanks to you.
Samra from UAE
RK says
Thanks Samra!!
Preeti says
Very nicely demonstrated and and thanks for sharing all your recipes with us.
RK says
You are welcome Preeti:)