Holi is a spring festival also known as the festival of colors or the festival of love. It is an ancient Hindu religious festival which has become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of South Asia, as well as people of other communities outside Asia. It is the festival of fun, revelry and special food too – Kachoris , Dahi Vadas and Gujjiyas etc. And of all the items served, Thandai is most popular.
Though Thandai is made using saunf, mishri, elaichi, khajur, kalimirch, pista, khus, milk, cream, saffron, pista and badam and is traditionally green in colour. All these ingredients are boiled with milk and then cooled which is served in a special silver tumbler. But there are many variations done in different parts of India as per choice and preference of flavor. This drink is common in Banaras / Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
It is native to India and is often associated with the Maha Shivaratri and Holi festival.
Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Cook Time | 45 minutes |
Servings |
serving
|
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar
- 1 liter Milk
- 1 tbsp Almonds
- 1 tbsp Watermelon Papaya seeds or
- 1 tbsp Poppy seeds /khuskhus
- 1/2 tbsp Saunf Aniseed /
- 1/2 tbsp Elaichi cardamom / powder
- 1/2 tsp Rose water
- 1 tsp Peppercorns
- 2 cups rose petals Fresh or dried
- 1/2 cup Vermicelli crushed
- 2 tbsp seeds Sabja / Falooda
- 2 drops Rose color
Ingredients
|
|
- Soak sugar in 2 cups of water and keep aside.
- Wash all the dry ingredients, except elaichi, sabja and vermicelli
- Soak them all in 2 cups of water and keep aside. Allow all soaked items to stand for at least two hours.
- Now grind all soaked ingredients to a very fine paste.
- When the paste is very fine, mix the remaining water.
- Place a strong muslin strainer over a large, deep vessel. Or tie a strong muslin cloth over the rim of the vessel to strain.
- Put the paste in this strainer and press it with your palm, and collect the liquid into the vessel.
- Add the remaining water, a little at a time, to make it more liquid.
- Pour back some of the extract and press once again.
- Repeat this process till the residue becomes dry and husk-like.
- Add milk, sugar, elaichi powder and rosewater to the extracted liquid.
- Boil the milk and add vermicelli and sabja seeds in it. Let the milk boil for 20-25mins
- Turn off the flame and allow the thandai to cool.
- Refrigerate it once it cools down to room temperature.
- Serve Chilled!