The festival of colours is incomplete without the traditional Thandai drink, here’s your chance to gulp, slurp and even scoop it in style
Come Holi, and everybody is busy making colourful celebration plans, including a potful of refreshing thandai drink. Thandai is a popular cold drink made with milk, almonds, and spices like black peppercorns, fennel, cardamom, etc. Traditionally made at home by soaking spices and almonds and pounding them into a paste, it is now available as ready-to-use syrup or powdered form, and even cafes serve chilled thandai.
Rooted In Culture
Thandai comes from the Hindi word, “thanda” which means ‘cool’. It is rooted in Indian culture and traditions and is believed to be a cherished offering that Lord Shiva relishes. Maharaj Bhawar Singh, Corporate chef at Khandani Rajdhani says, “This cooling elixir made with fennel seeds, rose petals, almonds and spices, is a perfect summer boost. Thandai is one of the most loved drinks across all age groups and it is appreciated for its rich flavours. Nothing is more delightful than sharing a chilled glass of wholesome thandai with friends and family during Holi—celebrating the festival of colours.” With the same base, the major difference between Bhang Thandai and the regular Thandai is that the former has a ground paste made from the leaves of the cannabis plant, (Bhang in Hindi). The inclusion of bhang in the drink makes it intoxicating and gives a high.
Types of Thandai
Traditionally thandai is made with milk, sugar, soaked poppy seeds, fennel, almonds, cardamom, peppercorn, rose petals, all pounded into a paste, strained and added to milk. Now, people experiment with varieties of thandai by adding fruits too. For example, Mango thandai is made with mango pulp, and Strawberry Thandai is made with pureed strawberries. Similarly, Litchi, pineapple, coconut or banana thandai is made.
Besides the usual rose, pistachio or saffron thandai, one can enjoy fusion flavours of thandai with paan and even chocolate. Also, thandai is made with soy milk, oats, lactose-free milk or almond milk.
Mukesh Singh Chef De Partie Novotel Goa states: “The traditional Thandai has undergone modern twists with everyone trying to build on this rustic hearty drink, to the evolving tastes and preferences
of the health-conscious. One significant trend is the substitution of sugar with
natural sweeteners like honey, which makes the drink richer in caramel, stevia, dark jaggery, coconut sugar or dates.”
Thandai Desserts
Today, thandai the beverage takes many forms such as thandai-flavoured kulfis, shrikhand, cheese cake, chocolates, Kheer etc. “These days chefs have been creating innovative desserts to showcase the versatility of Thandai flavours and their potential to elevate traditional desserts, for example Thandai Crème Brûlée: a custard base infused with Thandai flavour, topped with a cara-melized sugar crust, or Thandai Pannacotta, and Thandai cupcakes,” adds Chef Mukesh.
Benefits of Thandai
In India, foods are classified based on their potency (Veerya), which determines their post-consumption effects on the body. Chennai-based Sandhya Manian, a holistic nutritionist at Wellness with Sandhya says, “Indian tradition considers whether a food generates Ushna (heat) or Sheetali (cooling). Seasonal eating follows this principle—winter foods are warming, and energy-dense to generate heat, whereas summer foods are hydrating, and cooling. Festival foods, too, are designed with this wisdom “potency” in mind. Thandai, made with ingredients like fennel seeds, rose petals, almonds, and poppy seeds, cools the body and helps maintain hydration, making it an ideal summer drink.”
Hunger is suppressed in summer, and the need for more fluids, so this is a perfect beverage. Spices like fennel seeds and black pepper aid in digestion, Dry fruits in thandai provide energy, besides, Saffron and cardamom have antioxidant properties.
When customizing Thandai based on individual health, consider that the modifications maintain the drink’s nutritional balance, calorie content, and potency (Veerya), which is the primary reason for consuming Thandai in the first place. “For example, date syrup may seem like a healthier alternative to sugar, but it has a heating effect on the body, which contradicts Thandai’s purpose. More date syrup is required to match the sweetness of a small amount of sugar, leading to higher calorie intake. Thandai is for cooling and digestion, so unnecessary modifications could reduce its effectiveness,” adds Sandhya. So, enjoy the colorful festival and stay hydrated by sipping thirst-quenching chilled thandai.
Thandai Dos & Don'ts
(Courtesy: Sandhya Manian, Nutritionist)
• Opt for Homemade Thandai made with fresh, natural ingredients without additives or excessive sugar. Ready-made Thandai Syrup is often loaded with sugar, artificial colours, and preservatives, which can disrupt gut health.
• Use Cooling Ingredients: Use traditional ingredients like fennel seeds, rose petals, almonds, poppyseeds, and cardamom to retain their natural cooling properties.
• Don’t Overload with sweeteners and incompatible additions. Alternatives like date syrup or artificial sweeteners may alter the drink’s intended cooling effect. Adding fruits, heavy flavours, or excessive spices may disturb digestion.
• Don’t Consume in excess: Thandai is rich in nuts and spices, which can be heavy on digestion if overconsumed, especially for those with weak digestion.
Cool Treats
Gulab Kesari Thandai
(Courtesy: Maharaj Bhawar Singh, Corporate chef, Khandani Rajdhani)
Ingredients
• Thandai Masala Paste – 1 tbsp
• Chilled Full-Fat Milk (boiled earlier)– 200 ml
• Powdered Sugar – 2 tbsp
• Gulkand – 1 tbsp
• Mixed Chopped Nuts – 1 tbsp
• Rose Syrup – 4 tbsp
• Dried Rose Petals – 1 tsp
• Saffron – as required
Method
1. In a glass, combine the chilled milk with thandai masala paste,
powdered sugar, rose syrup, and gulkand.
2. Stir well until all the ingredients blend evenly.
3. Garnish with dried rose petals, and chopped nuts.
Smoked Mango, Saffron & Almond Thandai
(Courtesy: Mukesh Singh, Chef De Partie Novotel Goa)
Ingredients
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup smoked mango puree
• (Smoke mangoes on a gas burner, charcoal, barbecue, etc. then make puree.)
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron (soaked in 2 teaspoons of water for 10 min)
• 8 to 10 almonds
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Chopped nuts for garnish
Method
1. In a blender, combine milk, mango puree,
saffron almonds, honey, cardamom, and cinnamon.
2. Blend the mixture until smooth.
3. Add the sweetness as per your choice.
4. Pour the thandai into glasses filled with ice cubes.
5. Garnish with chopped dried fruits.
