Thandhai (spiced milk cooler)
An average of 3.0 out of 5 stars from 2 ratings
- Prepare
- over 2 hours
- Cook
- no cooking required
- Serve
- Serves 8–10
This is the base for the quintessential Holi drink, thandhai. Delicate, sweet and spiced – this can be enjoyed on any hot day.
Ingredients
- sugar: 150g/5½oz caster sugar
- ground almonds: 2 tbsp ground almonds
- melon seeds: 1 tbsp melon seeds
- fennel seeds: ½ tbsp fennel seeds
- poppy seeds: ½ tbsp white poppy seeds
- black peppercorns: 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 40g/1½oz dried rose petals
- milk: 250ml/9fl oz full-fat milk
- cardamom: ½ tsp ground cardamom
- rosewater: ½ tsp rosewater
Method
Tip the sugar into a bowl or jug and pour over 500ml/18fl oz water. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then set aside.
Mix all the other ingredients, except the milk, cardamom and rose water, together and soak in 500ml/18fl oz water. Set aside for 2 hours to infuse.
Grind all soaked ingredients to a very fine paste using a large pestle and mortar or a blender.
Pour another 500ml/18fl oz water into the paste and pass it through a fine sieve or muslin into a jug to extract all the liquid. Add the sugar solution, milk, cardamom and rosewater and stir together. Keep refrigerated and serve in glasses with cubes of ice.
