Do you remember I mentioned ‘Thandai’yesterday in Oven Baked Mawa Gujiya or Karanji (Dessert Empanadas) recipe? Not to worry if you don’t; this thandai will be all over you today as I’m sharing the recipe now. I know it’s too late to publish the thandairecipe just few hours before Holi. But trust me after yesterday’s brain clogging episode of editing-reediting-touch ups with the video tutorial of Baked Mawa Gujiya or Karanji, my body and mind collaborated on giving me up. I had to have a soothing drink to fix my soul and what could be better than thandaion pre-Holi night? Ofcourse I had to forget the bhang but who cares so much when celebration got started one day ahead!!!
So, the most exciting part of the blogpost, sharing the recipe of Thandai or Sardai aka Spiced Chilled Almond Milk Drink.
Preparation Time: 02 mins
Cooking Time: 03 mins
Resting time: 60 mins
Total Time: 65 mins
Yield: 13-16 large sized Gujiya
Ingredients:
Read the entire recipe and tips carefully before you start cooking.
Do make sure all ingredients are at room temperature (unless mentioned) and weighted or measured correctly in appropriate weighing machine or measuring instruments such as cups or spoons. Remember these are not your regular cups or spoons which you use in your daily life.
For the Thandai Spice Mix:
Almond, chopped: ¼ cup (35g approximately)
Pistachio, chopped: ¼ cup (30g approximately)
Cashew nuts, chopped: 2 tbsp (6g approximately)
Green cardamom powder: 1tbsp (or essence: 2 drops)
Poppy seeds: 2 tbsp
Fennel seeds: 2 tbsp
White peppercorn: 2 tsp
Nutmeg: ¼ tsp
For the Drink:
Milk: 4 cup
Rose water: 1 tsp
Sugar: 1/3 cup (68g approximately) (See Tips)
Saffron strands: 1 pinch
For Garnishing: (optional)
Chopped nuts,
Silver leaves,
Pinch of saffron.
Preparation:
Start with Preparing Thandai Spice Mix:
Take all the ingredients in a grinder and grind. That’s it!
This dry spice mix will be good upto 2 months if stored in air tight container. No need to refrigeration at all. Just use whenever you need.
This dry spice mix will be good upto 2 months if stored in air tight container. No need to refrigeration at all. Just use whenever you need.
Preparing the Drink:
Take milk in a large heavy bottomed pan and start boiling on high flame. Once milk is warm take 4-5 tbsp of warm milk in a small glass bowl. Soak saffron strands in it and set aside. Later when the milk a be back at room temperature rub the saffron little in milk to extract as much flavor possible from it. Set this saffron milk aside, we will need it later.
Once the milk in the large pan (it’s still on gas oven; remember?) starts boiling, add sugar in it and stir to dissolve sugar in milk completely. Remove the pan from flame and add the ThandaiSpice Mix in it. Stir to mix well as much possible; it will be granny anyway.
Pour the saffron milk now to the spice mixed milk and allow it to cool completely. Place the drink in a large refrigerate safe bowl or jar and refrigerate for 2-4 hrs or overnight.
Remove the chilled drink from refrigerator just before serving. Strain the drink through strainer, mix rose water and transfer in serving glasses. And don’t discard the strained spice mix; I have a great recipe to reuse them which I’ll show you in a day or two. Keep the used spice mix in an air tight glass jar and refrigerate. Trust me, they will be good up to 5-7 days and keep an eye on this space for the ‘save wastage’ recipe.
Garnishing:
Garnish chilled Thandai with chopped nuts & saffron strands. Serve chilled. And don’t forget those Oven Baked Mawa Gujiya or Karanji to serve with it.
Eat, Love & Enjoy! Repeat!!!
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