Thandai (Sardai) - The gorgeous combination of nuts, seeds and aromatic spices is the base of this traditional drink. It’s definitely a refreshing drink, and an ultimate treat for summer.
At the moment, my fridge is overstocked with everything icy cold. We’re officially gliding slowly into fall (autumn) in this part of the world. And I’ve already made several batches of this mango lassi and these semiya popsicles over the past few months of summer.
Even though the evenings are getting cooler, the days are still hot. And I think there’s no perfect time to share a very traditional drink that’s usually served during the Indian festival of holi. Thandai. You know, I’m totally excited about this recipe that focuses on healthy ingredients like nuts, seeds, and spices.
The entire process of making this refreshing cool drink is pretty simple. Make thandai masala and add into saffron flavored milk.
Before you make the masala, let all the ingredients soak for few hours so they’ll become soft and easy to process. You can either soak them separately like I did, or in one bowl. You might also want to plan ahead to allow ample time for the nuts to soak in warm water. Soak for at least 5-6 hours, and grind to a smooth paste. We’re looking for a very smooth texture so the masala will blend into the milk to get a rich flowing consistency.
Boil the milk with a few strands of saffron, ground cardamom and gulkhand. Saffron gives a yellow hue to thandai while gulkhand or rose petal paste imparts a beautiful aroma. Gulkhand is readily available from Indian grocery stores. Sub with rose water if it’s not available. A little bit of sugar adds more sweetness to the milk. Again, it’s totally optional in this recipe.
To prepare thandai, stir in 2 heaped tablespoons of masala to a glass of thandai, add a few ice cubes and enjoy. When it’s warmer, store in the refrigerator and serve chilled. In cooler months, replace hot chocolate with this flavorful drink, and warm up your soul.
Thandai | Sardai | Video
Ingredients
Thandai masala:
- 20 almonds
- 15 pistachios
- 4-5 cashew nuts
- ¼ cup melon seeds
- 2 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Thandai:
- 2 litres milk or 1 litre milk + 1 litre water
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 pinch saffron strands
- 1 tablespoon gulkhand or rose petal jam or 2 tablespoon rose water or 2 teaspoon rose essence
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom cardamom powder
- Ice cubes to serve
- Almonds, pistachios, dried rose petals, saffron to garnish
Instructions
Thandai masala:
- Soak almonds, pistachios, cashew nuts, melon seeds, poppy seeds, fennel seeds and peppercorns separately in warm water for at least 4 hours. Drain. Place all ingredients in a food processor. Add a little water and grind to a smooth paste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Boil milk:
- Place milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar. Stir. When sugar dissolves, add saffron. Stir. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add gulkhand (or rose water) and ground cardamom. Simmer for a minute. Remove from heat. Store in the refrigerator.
Prepare thandai:
- Pour 250 ml thandai into a serving glass. Add ice cubes. Stir in 2 tablespoon thandai paste. Garnish with with your favorite nuts or dried rose petals.
Video
Nutrition
Like this thandai recipe? Then join Nish Kitchen on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. Enjoy exclusive recipe videos on Youtube. Don't forget to check out more similar recipes.
Mimi says
This is fantastic sounding! What kind of melon seeds?