Festival of colors Holi is celebrated in India in a big way. Celebration of Holi with colors, delicious food is a tradition like other traditional festivals of India. A cold drink called Thandai is prepared specifically on Holi day. Thandai is to mark the beginning of spring and to beat summer heat. It is a sweet and cold drink loaded with nutritious substances and sugar with high calorie full fat milk.

You can prepare thandai with sugar or jaggery and use less fat milk too.

Benefits of nutritious thandai drink: Thandai helps to cool and refreshes the body. It contains dry nuts that are packed with nutrients like fiber, vitamin E, A and protein. Fennel seeds have cooling effect and supports digestive system health. Poppy seeds helps to reduce pain and any irritation in bowel. Saffron is not only antidepressant it also has immune boosting properties.

Ingredients:

1. Walnut and cashews mix – ¼ cup
2. Pistachio -1/4 cup (unsalted pistachio)
3. Almonds – 10
4. Sesame seeds – 1 Tbsp
5. Poppy seeds – 1 Tbsp
6. Fennel seeds – 2 Tbsp
7. Melon seeds – 2 Tbsp
8. Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
9. Nutmeg -1/4 tsp
10. Rose petals – 2 Tbsp
11. Pepper powder– 1 tsp
12. Saffron- ¼ tsp
13. Jaggery or sugar – as per your taste requirement
14. Honey – 1 Tbsp (optional)

Preparation:

1. Soak almonds overnight. Next day, grind to a fine paste with skin.
2. Grind all other ingredients (except rose petals and saffron) in a dry grinder, prepare a coarse powder.
3. Now to cold milk add almond paste followed by grinded powder of other ingredients.
4. Adjust sweet according to your taste. Either add powdered jaggery and honey mix or sugar.
5. Garnish with saffron and rose petals. Chill the thandai.
6. Serve thandai in a glass during festival.

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