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Thandai or Shardaiis a traditional and refreshing Indian cold drink made using dry fruits, seeds, aromatic spices, milk, and sugar. This drink is prepared during Indian festivals like Holi and Maha Shivratri in the North Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab.
Check out somepopular and traditional Holi recipes, including sweets and desserts, drinks, and snacks. I wish you all a very happy Holi!!!
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- Recipe card
- What is Thandai?
- Ingredients
- How to make thandai at home?
- Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Indian drink recipes
- User Reviews
Recipe card
Thandai Recipe | Shivratri and Holi Drink
Kushi
Thandai or Shardaiis a traditional and refreshing Indian cold drink made using dry fruits, seeds, aromatic spices, milk, and sugar. This drink is prepared during Indian festivals like Holi and Maha Shivratri in the North Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab. This drink can be prepared in less than 30 minutes!
5 from 48 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine Indian, north indian
Servings 6
Calories 236 kcal
Equipment
Mixie or Blender
Ingredients
For Thandai Masala or Thandai Powder
- 15 to 18 Almonds or Badam
- 15 Cashews
- 15 to 20 Black peppercorns (Kali mirch)
- 12 to 15 pods Green Cardamom (Elaichi)
- 1 tablespoon Fennel seeds (Saunf)
- 1 tablespoon Poppy seeds (Khas Khas or khus khus)
- 1 ½ tablespoon Watermelon seeds (Magaz)
- 1 ½ tablespoon Dried rose petals
- ⅛ teaspoon Saffron (Kesar)
Thandai Drink
- 4 cups Whole milk
- ½ cup Sugar
- Sliced Pistachios , for garnish
- Rose petals , for garnish
Instructions
Prepare Thandai Masala paste or powder
Soak almonds or badam overnight or 20 minutes in hot water before you start making thandai.
15 to 18 Almonds
Peel the almonds, add them to the blender or mixie jar along with cashews, peppercorns, cardamom pods, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, watermelon seeds, dried rose petals, saffron and blend it to a coarse powder or add 2 or 3 tablespoon of milk and make a smooth paste.
15 Cashews, 15 to 20 Black peppercorns, 12 to 15 pods Green Cardamom, 1 tablespoon Fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon Poppy seeds, 1 ½ tablespoon Watermelon seeds, 1 ½ tablespoon Dried rose petals, ⅛ teaspoon Saffron
Thandai masala is ready.
Prepare Thandai Drink
Add milk to a heavy bottom pan on medium heat and let it come to a boil. Switch the flame to low, add sugar and thandai masala and whisk it.
4 cups Whole milk, ½ cup Sugar
Let the sugar dissolve completely. Switch off the flame.Let it sit for 60 minutes.
Cover it and simply refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours or overnight for the best flavors. This allows the milk to get infused with all the flavors even before we strain it.
Using a sieve or filter, strain the thandai into a pitcher or vessel. Press down the solid masala that is left in the sieve using the back of a spoon to extract all the milk and get the maximum flavors.
Till you are ready to serve, simply put the thandai back in the refrigerator and chill.
Thandai is ready. To serve, simply pour thandai in a matka or kullad or serving glass, garnish it with pistachios, saffron and rose petals. Happy holi!!
Sliced Pistachios, Rose petals
Notes
- Vary the amount of nuts, spices, and sugar to taste. I have used whole milk and it gives the best result. But feel free to use any skim milk, 2 % milk, etc.
- Poppy seeds are used to get that creamy texture. But if it is not available, substitute it with cashews or skip it.
- Cardamom seeds for their flavor, peppercorns for heat, fennel seeds for cooling effect are commonly used to make the thandai masala powder. You may increase or decrease the spices and adjust depending on how strong flavors you prefer in the drink.
- For a vegan Thandai, simply substitute milk with any dairy-free milk, such as almond, soy, or coconut milk.
- It's always good to soak the nuts, as this helps to get a smoother and softer texture. If you forget to soak them, soak them in hot boiling water for 20 minutes just before making thandai masala powder.
- You can use only almonds, cashews, or a combination of almonds and pistachios.
- Bhang Thandai: Add ½ tablespoon of bhang seed powder along with thandai masala in the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 236kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 65mgPotassium: 379mgFiber: 3gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 268IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 260mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
What is Thandai?
Thandai, also known as Shardai, is a traditional summer drink prepared using almonds (badam), cashews, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, watermelon seeds, along with saffron and rose petals, which have a refreshing and cooling effect on the body, and hence the name.
During Holi, Bhang (Weed) Thandai - a cannabis-infused drink - is served to cause an intoxicating effect when consumed. Therefore, always ask before consuming any drink during Holi events.
Some other popular Thandai flavors that are prepared areMango Thandai,Rose, and Badam Kesar. Add any fruit puree available during the season to make special summer fruit-flavored Thandai.
Ingredients
Nuts: Almonds (badam) are most commonly used to make badam thandai. Always combine nuts like cashews or pistachios for extra flavor.
Poppy seeds or Khas Khas: These are used to give the drink a creamy texture. They are available in the spices section of most Indian stores. But if they are not available, substitute them with cashews. Please be aware that they contain traces of opiates and hence can generate false positives during drug tests.
Spices: Cardamom seeds are commonly used for flavor, peppercorns for heat, and fennel seeds for cooling effects. You may increase or decrease the spices and adjust depending on how strong you prefer the flavors in the drink.
Saffron: Enhances the flavor.
Rose: Adds floral fragrance and flavor to the drink.
Milk: Base of the drink. Use full-fat milk for best results.
Check out the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.
How to make thandai at home?
Prepare the thandai masala or powder.
- Soak almonds or badam overnight in hot water for 20 minutes before you start making this drink.
- Peel the almonds, add them to the blender or mixie jar along with cashews, peppercorns, cardamom pods, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, watermelon seeds, dried rose petals, saffron, and blend it to a coarse powder or add 2 or 3 tablespoon of milk and make a paste. Thandai masala is ready.
Thandai drink
- Add milk to a heavy bottom pan on medium heat and let it come to a boil. Switch the flame to low, add sugar and thandai masala, and whisk it. Let the sugar dissolve completely. Switch off the flame. Let it sit for 60 minutes.
- Cover it and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours or overnight for the best result. This allows the milk to get infused with all the flavor even before we strain it.
- Strain the thandai into a pitcher or vessel using a sieve or filter. Press down the solid masala left in the sieve using the back of the spoon to extract all the milk and get the maximum flavor.
- Till you are ready to serve, put it back in the refrigerator and chill.
- To serve, simply pour the mixture into a Matka or kullad (an earthen drinking cup) or serving glass and garnish with pistachios, saffron, and rose petals. Happy Holi!!
Tips
- Vary the number of nuts, spices, and sugar to taste. I have used whole milk, and it gives the best result. But feel free to use any skim milk, 2% milk, etc.
- It's always good to soak the nuts, as this helps to get a smoother and softer texture. If you forget to soak them, soak them in hot boiling water for 20 minutes just before making thandai masala powder.
- You can use only almonds, cashews, or a combination of almonds and pistachios.
- Bhang Thandai: Add ½ tablespoon of bhang seed powder along with thandai masala in the recipe.
Recipe FAQs
How to make vegan thandai?
Substitute milk with any dairy-free milk like almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk for a vegan version of Thandai.
Can I make ahead and store thandai?
Thandai tastes best when prepared a day before so that the flavors of nuts and spices are infused; it should be served chilled. Room-temperature doesn't taste as good as chilled.
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Note: We originally posted this holi and Shivratri Thandai recipe in March 2021. It has now been modified in Feb 2024 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
