Thandai or Natural Summer Drink

D for drink is the 4th post for the #BlogchatterA2Z challenge. This awesome Thandai or Natural Summer Drink literally means cool drink! To make this refreshing, sweet masala drink, my mom would start by soaking almonds in the night. In the morning while grinding into a paste, she would add pistachios and flavorful items like fennel seeds, khus-khus, pepper, strands of saffron and a dash of rose syrup. No mixers or blenders those days. Milk was added to this concentrate and served with chunks of ice. Thandai is now available off the shelf but the best Thandai is made at home.

Holi and Thandai

Holi is a no-holds-barred festival when it comes to playing pranks, splashing Colours or even having Thandai spiked with the very intoxicating cannabis or bhang. Mine was not laced with bhang of course but if you want to escalate the spirit of Holi then you should down a few glasses of thandai. Bhang or cannabis has the sanction of Lord Shiva as it is known as his drink. Beat the heat with Thandai, this summer. One chilled glass of Thandai will cool your body and mind too actually. When the body is dehydrated it acts as a boost and gives energy. Summers bring with them boils and prickly heat and Thandai keeps one hydrated. Do not forget to drink water but do add some natural summer drinks to combat the furious sun.

Thandai or Natural Summer Drink

Summer and Thandai go hand in hand. Thandai keeps your body cool, strengthens immunity, improves digestion and actually calms down frenetic nerves. Personally, I like it because it helps with anxiety and stress excessive stress and anxiety. Thandai is now available off the shelf but the best Thandai is made at home. A natural detoxifying drink with The drink is a natural detoxifier and wins down anytime against soda pops or colas. This sultry summer weather, topped with the festival of colours chill with this palatable and refreshing drink. If you do not want to drink the store-bought thandai then try this recipe which is quite easy to make at home.

Recipe for Thandai or Natural Summer Drink

INGREDIENTS

1-litre full-fat milk(skimmed if you are counting calories) 6 tbsp sugar or according to taste Few rose petals Pinch of saffron strands Few almonds slivered Cashews chopped Pistachios chopped

For the paste:

24-25 almonds soaked 10-12 cashew 1 tbsp fennel seeds 10-12 pistachios 1 tbsp poppy seed 4-5 green cardamom 1 tbsp black peppercorn

METHOD

Firstly soak all the ingredients for the paste overnight.

The next morning, strain the water and peel the almonds and ground the soaked mixture to a smooth paste by adding a little water.

Consequently, boil the milk and leave it to simmer for 10mins.

Next, soak the saffron strands in hot milk and set them aside.

Now, add the sugar and the ground paste to the milk. The peppercorns add a strong pungent taste to the otherwise sweet drink.

Actually, all these flavours and aromas of the various spices, blend harmoniously in the milk. Each and every ingredient gives a heavenly taste to the Thandai mixture. Later, simmer for 4-5 mins until it slightly thickens.

Switch off the flame. Lastly, add the saffron-infused milk.

Allow to cool at room temperature and then keep it in the fridge to chill.

Finally, pour the chilled Thandai or Natural Summer Drink into tall glasses.

Garnish with rose petals and slivers of almonds, pistachios and strands of saffron and serve with a flourish.

Remember to make more of the paste as there would be many requests for refills. Thandai can be had anytime to cool down in the coming months of blazing relentless summer days.