Thandai Milkshake | Dry Fruit Milkshake

Sweet, nutty, and spicy Thandai is a chilled Indian drink recipe made with homemade Thandai powder. It's mainly served during the Holi festival.

It's a crowd favorite and can be made ahead of time and in less than 30 minutes!

What is Thandai

Thandai also known as Sardai is a North Indian traditional, festive drink made with whole milk and a special Thandai masala that's prepared with nuts and whole spices.

All the spices used to make this drink help in digestion and boost immunity. Thandai comes from the Hindi word 'Thanda' which means cold.

I read online that Thandai recipe was invented by a Hakim (a physician using traditional remedies in India) way back in the 1890s.

One of its popular variants is called Bhaang (a potent alternative to the Thandai). Contrary to popular belief, Thandai and Bhaang (cannabis) aren't the same.

When is it made 

Traditionally, this heavenly sweet, nutty, and little spicy Indian drink is served during the Maha Shivaratri and Holi festival.

This seasonal drink is best when served cold, especially during summers because of its health benefits. This drink not only cools down the body but also refreshes it.

My memories with this drink

Growing up, my next-door aunty would make Thandai masala and stock it during the start of spring. She would mix it with warm milk and give it to her children.

We too would get to have it occasionally. She would say that it helps induce hunger and sleep. I remember drinking Thandai with my friends and laughing over our milk mustaches.

Warm Thandai and Haldi Ka Doodh (Turmeric Milk) are two Indian drinks that we had pretty much regularly, growing up. Such fond childhood memories stay with you forever! 

Why make this

There are many benefits to drinking this sweet but nourishing seasonal drink.

• A perfect non-alcoholic drink for spring and summer
• Can easily be made vegan
• It takes just 30 minutes of your time
• Can be made ahead of time
• Helps soothe the body from all the excess summer heat 
• Rich in antioxidants, and also restores your hormones to a state of balance
• Recipe is easily scalable
• It's a crowd favorite

Thandai masala - This is a very special aromatic spice blend that's prepared by grinding a variety of spices together.

It should be stored in an airtight container and used in different dessert recipes like this milkshake or Yogurt Thandai Bark.

You can either make it at home or buy it from the store. To make it at home, you will need these ingredients:

Unsalted nuts like cashews, almonds, pistachios.

Spices like peppercorns, cardamom, poppy seeds, saffron, fennel seeds, dried edible rose petals, and pumpkin or melon seeds.

Optionally, you can add raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg to this mix if you have them lying around.

Each ingredient has a role to play (cooling effect, digestion, immunity, etc) and they all come together to make this drink nourishing.

• Nuts like the almonds, cashews, pistachios and pumpkin/melon seeds help provide energy
• Spices like peppercorn, and cardamom boost immunity
• Fennel seeds, saffron, and rose petals have a cooling effect on the body
• Cardamom helps detoxify the body
• Poppy seeds aid in digestion

To make the Thandai drink, here's what you will need besides the Thandai masala.

Milk - You can either use full-fat whole milk or any other dairy-free unsweetened milk depending on what lifestyle you follow.

Heavy cream to give the Thandai milkshake a rich and creamy texture. Read notes below for substitutions.

Sweetener - I have used brown sugar here. But you can use white sugar or even jaggery.

Spices and nuts - saffron, dried rose petals, and pistachios give this drink a festive feel.

Rosewater or Kewra - Adding this will instantly lift up the flavor, and make it aromatic.

1. Arrange all the spices and nuts that you will need in their exact proportions, on a plate.
2. Transfer them all to the blender and grind it to a coarse powder. You can also crush them using a mortar and pestle.
   • There is no need to roast them prior.
   • Do not grind them for long else the consistency will become paste-like.
   • Store this Thandai powder in an airtight container.

3. Add 4 tablespoons of milk to a small bowl and warm it up in the microwave. Soak saffron in it for 10 minutes. This is called blooming the saffron.
4. To a thick bottomed pan, add milk and heavy cream.
5. Then add Thandai powder and sugar. Cook over a medium flame and bring to a boil. Simmer the milk mixture for 12-15 minutes.
6. Take it off the flame and add the saffron milk along with rose water and dried rose petals. Mix it all together.

7. Cover the pan and let it steep for an hour on the kitchen counter.
8. Strain the mixture if you prefer thandai to be clear of all the small particles. This is an optional step. Then chill this drink in the refrigerator till its time to serve.

Serving suggestions

Once the milk mixture cools down completely, you can do one of the 3 things at this stage:

1. Pour this in an ice cream container and freeze it overnight. Thandai Ice Cream is ready.
2. Pour in Popsicle molds and make your own Thandai Ice Pops
3. Or pour in serving glasses and serve it chilled. That is Thandai Milkshake for you. Garnish it with saffron and sliced pistachios/almonds. Ice cubes can also be added.

Despite the name 'Thandai', there are some who prefer to enjoy this drink warm. It's based on personal preference.

Thandai drink is served during Mahashivratri and during the Holi festival. It can also be served as a prasad or holy drink during other festivals.

You can also make this for potlucks, parties, family brunches, or if you want a quick energy boost.

Holi party menu

If you are hosting a Holi party in your home, be sure to check out these awesome recipes that are just fit for a crowd!

For finger foods, Moong Dal Toast, Cheese Corn Balls, and Puff Pastry Samosa is always a HIT idea! Of course, any party is incomplete without Dahi Vada.

You can make Sweet Potato Masala Puri and serve it with Tawa Chole. Spinach Rice Pilaf, Mint Pistachio Rice, or Soya Chunks Biryani are great choices for rice dishes.

For desserts, besides this Indian Thandai drink, you can also serve Rose Sandesh, Gulkand Shrikhand Tarts, Gulab Jamun Malai Kulfi, or/and Paneer Gujiya Shells!

Besides the food, obviously plan to keep lots of organic colors, water balloons, and pichkaris (water guns) for your guests to enjoy this beautiful festival of colors!

Top recipe tips

When making thandai powder, do not grind it for long else it will become like a paste. The powder should be of coarse consistency.

In place of heavy cream, you can also use half and half or evaporated milk to get that creamy texture in this Thandai recipe. 

If certain spices or nuts are not available to you, you may swap them with the closest ingredient or choose to skip them altogether. This will however alter the final flavors.

In case you find the thandai very thick, add some ice cubes or water to thin it. You can use leftover thandai powder in your oatmeal, smoothies, milkshakes, etc.

Recipe FAQs

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