This Thandai Powder is a mix of nuts, spices, and rose petals. It’s an easy and instant blend that instantly makes a refreshing, aromatic, and flavorful Thandai for festivals or as a refreshing treat.
This easy Thandai Powder is quick to make within ten minutes and is versatile. It can be used to make everything from a cooling milkshake to various desserts.
What is Thandai Powder?
Thandai Powder is a blend of nuts, seeds, spices, and rose petals. It’s super easy and quick to prepare in just ten minutes! Thandai Powder is aromatic and flavorful, and when mixed with milk, it makes an excellent cold drink. However, this spice blend is versatile and can be combined with warm milk, nut milk, or used in some desserts. This powder can be used to make Thandai for Holi, Maha Shivratri, or as a refreshing drink on hot days.
About Thandai Powder
Thandai is a spiced, cold milk served during the Holi festival in India, indicating the onset of spring. The drink is rich, creamy, luxurious, and very delicious. Thandai is made with nuts, spices, and dried rose petals, which are steeped in warm milk and then chilled before serving.
But to make the Thandai quickly and without soaking the nuts and spices, this Thandai Powder comes in handy. This versatile powder provides a beautiful aroma to any dish you make!
I have used a mix of nuts, including almonds, cashews, and pistachios. However, you can use only almonds if you prefer, or adjust the ratio of nuts to your taste. Additionally, feel free to add more spices of your choice, and you can also skip the ones you dislike or do not have.
This instant Thandai Powder can be used to make Thandai, Thandai Kheer, Rabri, Thandai Kulfi, and many other desserts. It is excellent for hot days as it provides cooling and soothing effects.
Why You Will Love This Blend
- This Thandai Powder is easy and quick to make.
- It is versatile and can be used for different dishes.
- You can make Thandai during festivals without soaking the nuts.
- It makes the Thandai flavorful and aromatic.
- It is refreshing, cooling, and soothing.
- This powder can be stored in the fridge for approximately three months.
Ingredients and Notes
- Nuts: I have used equal amounts of almonds, cashews, and unsalted pistachios. There is no need to roast the nuts; use them raw. However, you can choose the ratio of nuts according to your taste preference. Also, you can use only almonds to make this Thandai Powder.
- Melon Seeds and Poppy Seeds: These seeds are full of health benefits. I have used one tablespoon of each seed, but you can add more or less as per your preference. Also, you can skip poppy seeds if you can not find them.
- Rose Petals: Use edible and dried rose petals for this recipe. They add a fantastic flavor and soothing and cooling taste to the Thandai. If you do not have edible rose petals, you can skip them. Instead, add a teaspoon of rose water to the milk while making Thandai. Or, when you blend Thandai powder with milk, you can add a little Gulkand to the blender for a delicious taste and flavor.
- Fennel Seeds: Fennel seeds add absolutely fantastic flavor and taste to Thandai. These seeds are highly beneficial to our health and provide a cooling effect to our bodies. I have added 3 tablespoon of fennel seeds, but you can add more or less as per your taste preference.
- Green Cardamoms: Use green cardamom pods for this powder. Remove the skin and use only the seeds for the recipe. If you already have green cardamom seeds, add ½ teaspoon of seeds.
- Black Peppercorns: These peppercorns provide a slight heat to the Thandai, which tastes delicious. They are full of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. If you do not want heat in your Thandai, skip this spice. Or you can add more if you prefer.
- Cinnamon: It adds a sweet flavor to this blend. Instead of a cinnamon stick, you can also add ground cinnamon.
- Nutmeg: For the best flavor, use freshly grated or ground nutmeg.
- Saffron: Saffron provides flavor and hue to the Thandai. But it is optional, and you can skip adding saffron.
How To Make Thandai Powder
- Add almonds, pistachios, cashews, and melon seeds to a blender or grinder jar.
- Blend the nuts into a fine powder.
- Do not grind the nuts in one go; otherwise, the oil will separate from the nuts. Instead, grind them in pulses of five seconds until they turn into powder.
- For a fine consistency of Thandai Powder, sieve the ground nuts.
- Transfer the nut powder to a mixing bowl.
- Add rose petals, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, cardamoms, black peppercorns, cinnamon, nutmeg powder, and saffron into the blender or grinder jar.
- Blend everything into a fine powder.
- For a fine consistency, sieve the ground spices through the fine strainer.
- Add the spice blend to the nut powder and stir until everything is well combined.
- The Thandai powder is ready.
- Store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three months.
How To Make Thandai
- Take ½ cup of hot milk in a bowl or cup.
- Add 2 tablespoon of prepared Thandai Powder and stir well.
- Let this mixture stand for at least 15 minutes or until it reaches room temperature.
- The soaking will impart a beautiful saffron color, and the milk will absorb all the flavors of the Thandai powder.
- Then transfer it to a blender jar.
- To this, add cold milk, sugar, and ice cubes.
- Blend until everything is mixed well and frothy.
- Serve the Thandai immediately, or let it chill in the fridge until serving time.
- If you don’t have time, you can skip this step of soaking the Thandai powder in milk.
- Instead, blend 2 cups of cold milk, Thandai powder, sugar, and ice until well-mixed.
Helpful Tips For Thandai Powder
Nuts: You can change the ratio of nuts according to your preference. My mom used to make this powder using only almonds, whereas I prefer to use a mix of nuts. So go with your choice and change the ratio of nuts if you want. Additionally, grind the nuts separately, as they will release oil and clump together if ground for an extended period.
Rose Petals: You can skip them if you can not find the rose petals. And when you make Thandai milk, add rose water for the flavor.
Poppy Seeds: If you do not have or can not find the poppy seeds, you can skip adding them.
Cardamoms: I have removed the skin and used only the seeds. With 15 cardamom pods, you will get approximately ½ teaspoon of cardamom seeds.
Saffron: You can skip saffron or add more or less to your preference.
Spices: Feel free to adjust the ratio of spices to suit your taste preference. If you do not prefer the taste of any particular spice in this recipe, you can skip it. Alternatively, if you’d like to add other spices, such as cloves or star anise, you can do so.
Cinnamon: Instead of a cinnamon stick, add ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Nutmeg: Use freshly made nutmeg powder for the best taste and flavor.
Consistency: For the fine consistency of the Thandai Powder, pass it through the fine strainer.
Milk: To make Thandai, you can use whole or low-fat milk. However, Thandai will taste better with full-fat or whole milk.
Cream: To make the Thandai creamier and more decadent, add ¼ cup of half-and-half or heavy cream per two cups of milk.
More Homemade Spice Blends
Recipe Card
Thandai Powder (Easy and Instant)
Ingredients
For Thandai Powder
- ¼ cup almonds
- ¼ cup pistachios
- ¼ cup cashews
- 1 tablespoon melon seeds
- ¼ cup edible dried rose petals
- 3 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 15 green cardamoms (use only seeds)
- 12 black peppercorns
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon saffron
For Thandai (For Two Servings)
- ½ cup hot milk
- 1½ cups cold milk
- 2 tablespoon Thandai powder
- 2 tablespoon sugar (or to taste)
- A few ice cubes
Instructions
Making The Thandai Powder
- Add almonds, pistachios, cashews, and melon seeds in a blender or grinder jar. Blend the nuts into a fine powder. Do not grind the nuts in one go; otherwise, the oil will separate from the nuts.
- Transfer the nut powder to a mixing bowl.
- Add rose petals, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, cardamoms, black peppercorns, cinnamon, nutmeg powder, and saffron to a blender or grinder jar.
- Blend everything into a fine powder. Add the spice blend to the nut powder and stir until everything is well combined.
- The Thandai powder is ready. Store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three months.
Making The Thandai
- Take ½ cup of hot milk in a bowl or cup. Add 2 tablespoon of prepared Thandai Powder and stir well.
- Let this mixture stand for at least 15 minutes or until it reaches room temperature. The soaking will bring a beautiful saffron color, and milk will absorb all the flavors of Thandai powder.
- Then transfer it to a blender jar. To this, add cold milk, sugar, and ice cubes. Blend until everything is mixed well and frothy.
- Serve the Thandai immediately or let it chill in the fridge until the time of serving.
- If you do not have time, you can skip this step of soaking the Thandai powder in the milk. Instead, blend 2 cups of cold milk, Thandai powder, sugar, and ice until well-mixed.
Notes
- Nuts: You can change the ratio of nuts according to your preference. My mom used to make this powder using only almonds, while I like to use mixed nuts. So go with your choice and change the ratio of nuts if you want. Also, grind the nuts separately, as they will release oil and clump upon grinding for longer.
- Rose Petals: You can skip them if you can not find the rose petals. And when you make Thandai milk, add rose water for the flavor.
- Poppy Seeds: If you do not have or can not find the poppy seeds, you can skip adding them.
- Cardamoms: I have removed the skin and used only seeds. With 15 cardamom pods, you will get approximately ½ teaspoon of cardamom seeds.
- Saffron: You can skip saffron or add more or less to your preference.
- Spices: Feel free to change the ratio of spices according to your taste preference. If you do not prefer the taste of any particular spice in this recipe, you can skip it. Or if you want to add other spices, like cloves or star anise, you can add them.
- Cinnamon: Instead of a cinnamon stick, add ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Nutmeg: Use freshly made nutmeg powder for the best taste and flavor.
- Consistency: For the fine texture of the Thandai Powder, pass it through the fine strainer.
- Milk: To make Thandai, you can use whole or low-fat milk. However, Thandai will taste better with full-fat or whole milk.
- Cream: To make the Thandai creamier and more decadent, add ¼ cup of half and half or heavy cream per two cups of milk.
Nutrition (Approximate Values)
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