Holi 2023: Love thandai? Enjoy these 4 innovative variations

The traditional Holi spread has long been ruled by thick, creamy, and absolutely delightful thandai but these variants may just change your mind. Image for representational purposes only. Photo Courtesy: Istock

Holi is incomplete without colour, food and drink of thandai. While the traditional thandai is really popular, there is always room for experimenting with it. The traditional Holi spread has long been ruled by thick, creamy, and absolutely delightful thandai but these variants may just change your mind.

Rose Nariyal Thandai

Ingredients:
Coconut liqueur 100 ml
Coconut milk 2 cups
Shredded coconut, rose petals, rose water
Sugar 2 tbsp
Skinned almonds and cashews
Green cardamom, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds

Method:
1. Soak dry fruits and seeds in rose water for two days prior to preparing this drink.
2. Grind into a fine paste and add in rose petals, desiccated coconut, saffron, and cardamom.
3. Muddle the paste with coconut milk, or use a blender.
4. Shake the syrup with coconut liqueur and ice.
5. Serve it cool with rose petals and coconut flakes.

Ice Tea Thandai

Ingredients:
Ground white pepper (Kali mirch) 7 nos
Assam tea bags 1 no
Almonds, coarsley crushed 1/4 cup
Poppy seeds (khus-khus) 2 tsp
Fennel seeds, coarsely crushed 1 tsp
Cardamom (elaichi) powder 1/2 tsp
Ground sugar
A few Saffron (kesar) strands

Method:
1. Heat water in a flask and add some Assam tea bags to infuse its flavour in water.
2. Add 1/4 cup almonds, Khus-Khus, fennel seeds and cardamom in the mixture.
3. Top it up with kali mirch and ground sugar to taste.
4. Cool it in the refrigerator, add lot of ice and serve strained.
5. Place few saffron strands over the drink for flavour and colour. Serve

Almond Milk Thandai

Ingredients:

For the powder mix:
Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp or 2-3 green cardamom (elaichi)
Poppy seeds (khus khus) 2 tsp
Fennel seeds (saunf) 1 tsp
Black peppercorns (kali mirch) 5-6 nos
Saffron (kesar), optional 3/4 tsp
Watermelon seeds or sunflower seeds, roasted 1 tsp
A pinch of nutmeg - optional

For the drink:
Almond milk 4 cups
Seedless dates/Raw sugar/Palm sugar to taste

For garnishing:
Chopped pistachios
Silver leaves
Pinch of saffron

Method:
1. Take all the ingredients in a grinder and grind really fine.
2. For a larger batch of the spice mix, dry grind and keep in an airtight container, refrigerated for a few days. You can also alter the quantities to suit your personal taste and preference.
3. Boil the milk with whichever sugar you are using and few strands of saffron (if using).
4. Add the ground powder and mix it well. Add more water if needed to get the desired consistency.
5. Strain the mixture to remove any particles to make a smooth milk.
6. Cool and let it refrigerate for a minimum of one hour or even overnight to let the spices infuse in the drink.
7. Give it a mix before serving. Garnish and serve. If you have rose water or dried crushed rose petals, add some to taste.

Guava Thandai

Ingredients:
Milk 1 1/2 cup
Thandai mixture 4 tbsp
Guava juice 1 full pack
Ice cubes

Method:
1. Pour the thandai mixture in a jar.
2. Add some milk and a full pack of guava juice.
3. Put some ice cubes, give it a nice stir.
4. Serve chilled.

Also Read: Holi 2023: How the festival of colours is celebrated across India

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