Celebrate Holi With This Refreshing Thandai Recipe You Can Make At Home

Thandai is a festive Holi drink made by blending soaked nuts, seeds, and spices into milk, sweetened and flavored with saffron and rose petals. The mixture is chilled, strained, and served cold with ice cubes and a garnish of nuts. A refreshing, aromatic, and cooling drink perfect for Holi celebrations.

Tanya Raj Updated: Mar 07, 2025, 11:09 AM IST

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Make Your Holi Special With This Delicious Thandai Drink Recipe

Thandai is a traditional Holi-special drink made with milk, nuts, and aromatic spices, offering a rich and refreshing taste. A paste of soaked almonds, cashews, pistachios, poppy seeds, melon seeds, black pepper, fennel, and cardamom is blended and mixed with chilled milk. Saffron, rose petals, and sugar enhance its flavor, while refrigeration deepens the taste. The mixture is strained for smoothness and served cold with ice cubes, chopped nuts, and saffron garnish. It’s a perfect festive drink, balancing sweetness, spice, and cooling properties. Enjoy this homemade Thandai for a delicious and refreshing Holi 2025.

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Soak the Ingredients

Soak the Ingredients: Soak almonds, cashews, pistachios, poppy seeds, melon seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, and cardamom in warm water for 2-3 hours.

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Make the Thandai Paste

Make the Thandai Paste: Blend the soaked ingredients with saffron, rose petals, and a little water to form a smooth paste.

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Prepare the Thandai Drink

Prepare the Thandai Drink: Heat the milk in a pan and let it cool slightly. Mix the thandai paste into the milk, add sugar, and stir well. Refrigerate the mixture for 2-3 hours (or overnight) to enhance flavors.

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Strain & Serve

Strain & Serve: Strain the mixture using a fine sieve or muslin cloth to remove coarse particles. Add rose water for extra fragrance.

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Garnish & Enjoy

Garnish & Enjoy: Pour the chilled thandai into glasses, add ice cubes, and garnish with chopped nuts and saffron strands. Serve and enjoy the Holi vibes.