Thandhai (spiced milk cooler)
This is the base for the quintessential Holi drink, thandhai. Delicate, sweet and spiced – this can be enjoyed on any hot day.
By Vivek Singh
From Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
- 150g/5½oz caster sugar
- 2 tbsp ground almonds
- 1 tbsp melon seeds
- ½ tbsp fennel seeds
- ½ tbsp white poppy seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 40g/1½oz dried rose petals
- 250ml/9fl oz full-fat milk
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 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.
