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Thandai
Almond, fennel and rose milk
ठंडाई: chilled almond, fennel and rose milk offered to Shiva on Mahashivratri
On Mahashivratri the ghats and temples of Varanasi fill with brass pots of thandai, a cooling milk ground with almonds, melon seeds, fennel, poppy seeds, black pepper and rose, poured as an offering to Shiva and then shared with everyone queuing for darshan. In the city's lanes it is sometimes made with bhang (cannabis); this version is made entirely without it and contains no alcohol, so the whole family can drink it. It tastes nutty, floral and gently peppery, and is thick enough to coat the glass. Most people who keep the Shivratri fast take it, since it holds only milk, nuts, seeds and spices, but check your own family's rules: some leave out poppy seeds, and poppy seeds are restricted in a few countries, so skip them if you need to. Common mistake: grinding the soaked nuts and seeds with too little water, which leaves a gritty paste; keep blending until it feels smooth between your fingertips, then strain. Chef's tip: make the paste the night before and keep it in the fridge; the flavour deepens and you only need to whisk it into cold milk on the day.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the thandai paste
- 2 ⅛ oz almonds
- 1 oz melon seeds (magaz)
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp white poppy seeds (khus khus) (optional)
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 8 green cardamom podsseeds only
- 2 tbsp dried edible rose petals
- 1 cup waterfor soaking
- ¾ cup watercold
For the drink
- 5 cups full-fat milkboiled and chilled
- 4 oz sugar
- 1 pinch saffron strandssoaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
- 1 tbsp pistachios (optional)slivered
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅛ oz almonds, 1 oz melon seeds (magaz), 2 tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tbsp white poppy seeds (khus khus), 1 tsp black peppercorns, 8 green cardamom pods and 2 tbsp dried edible rose petals in a bowl and cover with 1 cup water. Leave to soak for at least 3 hours, or overnight in the fridge.
180 minStep 2: Drain, keeping the soaking water. Slip the skins off the almonds by pinching each one.
Step 3: Blend everything with ¾ cup water and a few spoons of the soaking water for 3–4 minutes, scraping down twice, until the paste feels smooth, not gritty, when rubbed between your fingers.
5 minStep 4: Stir 4 oz sugar into the chilled 5 cups full-fat milk until dissolved, then whisk in the paste and the soaked 1 pinch saffron strands.
3 minStep 5: Pour through a fine sieve or muslin, pressing hard on the solids to squeeze out all the flavour. Chill for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 6: Stir well, pour into glasses or kulhads and scatter over 1 tbsp pistachios. Serve very cold.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does thandai take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of fennel seeds?
- Aniseeds, same amount (a stronger liquorice taste).
- What can I use instead of black peppercorns?
- Ground black pepper, a little less than the amount.
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