Culinary Xpress: Kitchen Basics

THANDAI - HOW TO MAKE THANDAI MASALA AT HOME

7:33 PM

Thandai is a rich and nutritious drink that originates in the northern India. It is enriched with different nuts, dry fruits and some mild spices and rose petals. One sip of such Thandai and your taste buds goes on a roller coaster with all different tastes swirling and twirling in your mouth.In India Thandai is usually made during the festivities of Holi, but is a nice beverage to have throughout the year.There are many exotic spices that go into the making of this beverage, which makes it a highly nutritious beverage with a cooling effect on the body. This makes Thandai a perfect summer drink.The combination of many spices including peppercorn, fennel, cardamom and exotic dry fruits like almonds, pistachios that are infused with the milk to make it a healthy beverage.

You can make this Thandai Mix Masala in the comfort of your home and use it anytime that you wish.This fresh, homemade Thandai masala tastes absolutely heavenly, far superior to the readymade mixes available in the market. The aroma of fennel, cardamom, pepper and saffron enhances the dense flavour of fully boiled milk, to pamper the senses and rejuvenate the spirit. You can strain the mixture before serving if you want it smooth, but if you like the coarse mouth-feel of ground almonds and poppy seeds, you can enjoy the drink as it is without straining.

Thandai literally means something that lowers the temperature or cools. Thandai can be served along with breakfast or as a mid morning or evening drink. It is loaded with a lot of health benefits such as :

Almonds, fennel and poppy seeds are rich in antioxidants. Poppy seeds or khuskhus, is a very good source of zinc which helps in strengthening the immune system.
Fennel and cardamom helps to ensure a smooth digestion.

Milk and almonds are fantastic sources of Calcium, required for healthy bones and teeth.
Almonds are considered as brain food as they help in growth and repair of brain cells. Poppy seeds also are very good for brain as they are rich in iron, copper and zinc. Both help in the regulation of neurotransmitters and development of neurons.

Recipe Type: Condiment
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yields: 1 small jar

Ingredients:

25 Almonds
20 Cashewnuts
30 Pistachios
3 tablespoons Melon seeds
3 tablespoons Poppy seeds
2 tablespoon fennel seeds
a few strands of Saffron
8-10 Green cardamoms
20-25 Rose petals
8-10 Black peppercorns

Let's learn how to make Thandai masala at home:

Heat a pan and add almonds, pistachios, cashews, pumpkin seeds and dry roast for 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame. Remove and keep aside in a plate or tray.
In the same pan, add the saffron strands ans stir till the color of the saffron changes to a darker shade. Then remove and keep aside.
Once the dry fruits cool, add everything in a dry grinder jar, including rose petals, fennel, black pepper and cardamoms.
Grind to a coarse to fine powder as per taste. I have kept mine a little coarse.
Remove from the grinder and keep in an airtight container or jar.