Festival of Colours – Celebrate Holi With a Nutritious Thandai

Luke Coutinho
This traditional beverage is prepared especially during the festival of Holi. Thanks to its cooling effect on the body, it is named Thandai. It is refreshing and at the same time rich in nutrition with the addition of nuts and seeds. Presenting a new version of Thandai, a must-try beverage this Holi.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Course Healthy beverage
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 people
Calories 194 kcal

Equipment

  • Mixer /blender
  • Serving glasses

Ingredients
  

Ingredients for thandai masala:

  • 1/4 cup pistachio unsalted
  • 1/4 cup mix of walnuts and cashew nuts unsalted
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons melon seeds
  • 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
  • 10 pods green cardamom seeds only
  • 2 tablespoons dried rose petals
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon saffron

Instructions
 

  • Place all the ingredients in a clean, dry coffee/ masala grinder.
  • Grind the above ingredients to a fine powder.
  • Leave the mixture to a little chunky in texture
  • Store in air tight jar and refrigerate.

Preparation of homemade almond milk:

  • Soak 10-12 almonds overnight. Next day, discard the water and blenderize the soaked almonds using a bit of water to make a fine paste. Then add a glass of water to get a thin consistency milk. Do not sieve (keep the fiber intact).
  • Blend a glass of almond milk, some organic jaggery or raw unpasteurized honey as per your choice, and according to your taste and 2 teaspoons of thandai masala in a blender. Taste and adjust for sweetness. Serve in a glass or even better, a kulhad and garnish with dried rose petals/saffron/chopped pistachios. Enjoy chilled!

Notes

  • Thandai is a traditional cooling and refreshing drink made with dried nuts, seeds and flavourful spices. It’s perfect to keep body cool during the beginning of summer months.
  • Small amount of poppy seeds in thandai help relieve gastrointestinal irritation and also prevent constipation.
  • Fennel seeds and rose petals have a cooling effect and improve the digestive health.
  • Adding nuts and seeds make it a natural energizer.
  • Spices like peppercorns boost immunity and have anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Saffron has antidepressant and anti-oxidative properties.
  • Almond milk is naturally rich in several vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin E.

Nutrition

Calories: 194kcalCarbohydrates: 24.7gProtein: 3.2gFat: 7.2g
Keyword traditional
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