A Sip of Celebration: Thandai Recipes for Holi

Rose Thandai is an aromatic and refreshing take on the classic drink. Infused with the delicate floral essence of rose petals or rose syrup, it enhances the nutty richness of thandai with a sweet, soothing twist. Perfect for festive celebrations and summer gatherings.

Prep time: 3 hours or more
Cook time: 10 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For the thandai paste-

• 2 tablespoons of almonds 
• 2 tablespoons of cashews 
• 2 tablespoons of melon seeds (magaz)
• 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
• 4-5 cardamom pods (green)
• 2 tablespoons of rose petals (dried or fresh)  
• 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds (khus khus) 
• 1-2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 cup of milk or water (for grinding) 

For the drink-

• 2 cups of chilled milk
• 2-3 tablespoons of sugar 
• 1 teaspoon of rose water or 2 tablespoons of rose syrup or gulkand for the rose flavour
• Crushed ice 

Method:

1. Soak the almonds, cashews, and melon seeds in warm water for 2-3 hours (or overnight if you prefer).
2. Once soaked, drain the water and blend the nuts, fennel seeds, cardamom, black peppercorns, poppy seeds, and dried rose petals in a blender. Add a little milk or water to help blend everything into a smooth paste.
3. In a large mixing bowl or jug, pour the chilled milk. Add the thandai paste and stir well. Strain the paste using a fine mesh sieve. Add sugar and rose water, or rose syrup, or gulkand to the milk mixture and stir to combine.
4. Pour the thandai into glasses with ice cubes. Garnish with a few dried rose petals or crushed pistachios for extra flavour and decoration. Serve chilled. Enjoy.

2. Mango Thandai

Mango Thandai is a delightful variation of the traditional Thandai, combining the richness of the classic spiced drink with the tropical sweetness of mango. It’s perfect for summer or festive occasions like Holi.

Prep time: 3 hours or more
Cook time: 10 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For the thandai paste-

• 2 tablespoons almonds 
• 2 tablespoons cashews 
• 1 tablespoon melon seeds 
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 
• 4-5 green cardamom pods 
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar 

For the mango thandai drink-

• 2 cups chilled milk (or use almond milk for a dairy-free option) 
• 1 large ripe mango (peeled and chopped) or mango pulp
• 2-3 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste) 
• 1-2 tablespoons thandai paste (prepared from above)
• Crushed ice (optional)

Method:

1. Soak the almonds, cashews, and melon seeds in warm water for 2-3 hours or overnight for best results. Drain the water after soaking.
2. In a blender, combine the soaked almonds, cashews, melon seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom pods and poppy seeds. Add a little water or milk and blend to form a smooth paste.
3. Add the chilled milk, chopped mango, sugar, and 1-2 tablespoons of the thandai paste. Blend until smooth and creamy.
4. Taste and adjust the sweetness, adding more sugar if needed. Blend again.
5. Pour the Mango Thandai into glasses with crushed ice, if desired. Garnish with a tablespoon of mango pulp.

Tips: Use a sweet, juicy mango like Alphonso or Kesar for the best flavour. 

Chill the Milk: For an extra refreshing drink, you can chill the milk in advance or even use ice cubes made from milk.

Vegan Option: To make this recipe vegan, you can use almond or coconut milk instead of dairy milk.

3. Badam Kesar Thandai

A royal blend of almonds (badam) and saffron (kesar), this variation is rich, creamy, and fragrant. The nutty texture of almonds pairs beautifully with the exotic aroma of saffron, making it a luxurious addition to festive spreads.

Prep time: 3 hours or more
Cook time: 10 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For the thandai paste-

• 2 tablespoons almonds (badam)
• 2 tablespoons cashews
• 1 tablespoon melon seeds (magaz)
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 4-5 green cardamom pods
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)
• 1 tablespoon rose petals (optional) 
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar 

For the drink-

• 2 cups chilled milk (you can also use almond or coconut milk for a dairy-free version) 
• 2 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste) 
• 1 teaspoon saffron strands
• 2 tablespoons thandai paste (prepared earlier)
•  1 teaspoon rose water (optional, for extra fragrance) 
• Crushed ice  
• A few slivers of almonds or pistachios for garnish

Method:

Prepare the thandai paste-

1. Soak the almonds, cashews, and melon seeds in warm water for 2-3 hours (or overnight for better texture). 
2. Once soaked, drain the water. Blend the almonds, cashews, melon seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom pods, black peppercorns, poppy seeds, and rose petals in a blender. Add a little milk or water to make a smooth paste.

Infuse the Saffron-

1. Soak the saffron strands in 1 tablespoon of warm milk for about 10-15 minutes, allowing it to release its colour and flavour. 
2. In a blender, combine the chilled milk, 2 tablespoons of thandai paste, sugar, and the saffron-infused milk. Blend until well-mixed and smooth. Taste the drink and adjust the sweetness by adding more sugar if needed. Add a few drops of rose water for extra fragrance, if desired. Blend again. 
3. Pour the Badam Kesar Thandai into glasses, optionally with crushed ice. Garnish with slivers of almonds, pistachios, or even a few saffron strands for a decorative touch. Serve chilled and enjoy this aromatic and refreshing drink.

Tips: Soaking almonds for several hours makes them softer and easier to blend, resulting in a smooth paste.

Vegan Option: You can substitute dairy milk with almond, cashew, or coconut milk for a vegan version of Badam Kesar Thandai.

4. Saffron Thandai

For those who love the warmth of saffron, this version enhances the traditional thandai with an extra dose of kesar. The result is a velvety, aromatic drink with a golden hue that adds a touch of elegance to any celebration.

Prep time: 3 hours or more
Cook time: 10 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients: 

For the thandai paste:

• 2 tablespoons almonds (badam)
• 2 tablespoons cashews
• 1 tablespoon melon seeds (magaz)
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 
•  4-5 green cardamom pods
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)
• 1 tablespoon rose petals (optional) 
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

For the drink: 

• 2 cups chilled milk (you can also use almond or coconut milk for a dairy-free version)
• 2 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste) 
• 1 teaspoon saffron strands (kesar) or saffron syrup 
•  2 tablespoons thandai paste (prepared earlier) 
• Crushed ice (optional) 
•  A few slivers of almonds or pistachios for garnish 
• 1 teaspoon rose water (optional, for added fragrance).

Method:

1. Soak the almonds, cashews, and melon seeds in warm water for 2-3 hours or overnight. Drain the water and blend the soaked nuts, fennel seeds, cardamom, black peppercorns, poppy seeds, and rose petals (if using) into a smooth paste. You may add a little milk or water to make the paste smoother.
2. Soak the saffron strands in about 1 tablespoon of warm milk for 10-15 minutes, allowing the saffron to release its colour and flavour. Or add a tablespoon of saffron syrup.
3. In a large bowl or jug, combine the chilled milk, 2 tablespoons of the prepared thandai paste, sugar, and the saffron-infused milk (with saffron strands).  Stir everything well until fully mixed and smooth. Taste the mixture and adjust the sweetness if needed. If desired, add a few drops of rose water for extra fragrance and flavour, and stir again.
4. Pour the Saffron Thandai into glasses. You can add crushed ice to make it extra refreshing. Garnish with slivers of almonds, pistachios, or a few saffron strands on top. Serve chilled and enjoy the delightful, fragrant drink.

Tips: Saffron is the key ingredient in this recipe, giving it a unique, aromatic flavour and vibrant colour. Soaking it in warm milk helps release its full flavour and colour. 

Vegan Option: You can substitute dairy milk with almond, cashew, or coconut milk. 

You can prepare the thandai paste in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week, or use thandai powder or thandai syrup readymade from bigbasket saving the prep time.

5. Paan Thandai

Paan Thandai is a unique and refreshing variation of the traditional thandai, combining the aromatic and cooling properties of thandai with the delightful flavours of paan (betel leaves).  It combines the richness of thandai spices with the unique, minty, and aromatic flavour of paan, offering a refreshing twist on the traditional drink. It’s a perfect drink for those who enjoy the sweet, minty, and slightly spicy taste of paan. 

Ingredients: 

For the thandai paste-

• 2 tablespoons almonds (badam) 
• 2 tablespoons cashews 
• 1 tablespoon melon seeds (magaz) 
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 4-5 green cardamom pods
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon rose petals or gulkand 
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar

For the paan thandai drink-

• 2 cups chilled milk (or coconut milk or almond milk for a vegan version)
• 2 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste)
• 3-4 paan leaves (betel leaves)
• 1-2 tablespoons thandai paste (prepared earlier)
• 1 teaspoon rose water
•  Crushed ice 
• A pinch of cardamom powder  
• slivers of almonds for garnish 

Method:

1. Soak the almonds, cashews, and melon seeds in warm water for 2-3 hours (or overnight). Once soaked, drain the water. Blend the soaked almonds, cashews, melon seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom pods, black peppercorns, poppy seeds, and rose petals into a smooth paste. Add a little water or milk to make it easier to blend.
2. Wash the paan (betel) leaves thoroughly to remove any dirt. Tear the paan leaves into smaller pieces and grind them with a little water to make a smooth paste. Alternatively, you can soak the paan leaves in warm water for about 10 minutes and then blend them to release the flavour or simply use paan syrup
3. In a blender, combine the chilled milk, 2 tablespoons of thandai paste, sugar, and the ground paan paste. Blend until smooth.
4. Taste and adjust the sweetness by adding more sugar if needed.
5. Optionally, add rose water for an added floral fragrance, then blend again.
6. Pour the Paan Thandai into glasses. You can add crushed ice if you like it extra cold. Garnish with a sprinkle of cardamom powder, slivers of almonds, or even a small piece of paan leaf for decoration. 
7. Serve chilled and enjoy! 

Tips:  Be sure to use fresh paan leaves for the best flavour. You can find them at Indian grocery stores or speciality spice shops.

Vegan Option: You can use coconut milk or almond milk as a substitute for regular milk. 

Garnish with cardamom powder or chopped almonds for extra texture and flavour. 

No prep, just pour! Click here for ready-made Thandai.