Thandai
Thandai is a cooling, spiced milk drink with almonds, fennel, poppy seeds and pepper, traditionally served on Holi and Maha Shivratri.
Prep 15 minMakes 4
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Almonds (soaked)
- 1 tbsp Fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp Poppy seeds (khus khus) (soaked; see tips)
- 8–10 Black peppercorns
- 4 pods Cardamom
- 1 tbsp Rose petals (dried)
- 4 cups Milk (chilled)
- 4 tbsp Sugar
- 1 pinch Saffron
Method
- Soak the almonds, fennel, poppy seeds, pepper and cardamom for 2 hours.
- Grind with a little milk to a fine paste.
- Mix into chilled milk with sugar, rose petals and saffron.
- Strain if you like and serve chilled.
Why this prasad for Holi?
Thandai is offered to Lord Shiva and shared on Holi and Shivratri as a cooling drink in early spring.
Tips, variations & storage
Tips for success: soak the nuts and spices for at least two hours so they grind to a smooth paste. Strain through a fine sieve or muslin for a silky drink. Chill well before serving.
Variations: rose thandai, kesar-badam thandai and mango thandai are popular modern versions; thandai paste is also used in desserts such as thandai kulfi. On Maha Shivaratri thandai is offered to Lord Shiva.
Serving and storage: serve chilled in glasses or kulhads, garnished with rose petals or pistachio. The thandai paste keeps for about a week in the fridge; mix with cold milk just before serving.
Making it outside India
Poppy seeds are banned or restricted in some countries (for example the UAE) — check local rules, or simply leave them out and use melon seeds (magaz) or extra almonds instead.
Looking for ingredients? Find samagri and Indian grocery shops near you.
Frequently asked questions
Is thandai alcoholic?
No. Traditional thandai is a spiced milk drink; some people add bhang on Holi, but plain thandai contains no intoxicants.
Can I make it dairy-free?
Almond milk works well, since almonds are already the main flavour.