Spiced saffron & rosewater milk (thandai)
Enriched with nuts and infused with spices and rosewater, this chilled milk drink is traditionally served during Holi, India’s festival of colour
- ¾ tbsp melon seeds(char magaz) or pine nuts
- ¾ tbsp white poppy seeds
- 15g almondsblanched
- 15g pistachios
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 6 black peppercorns
- 750ml whole milk
- 30g caster sugar
- ½ tsp saffron strandssoaked in 2 tbsp warm milk for 1 hr
- 1-2 tsp rosewater
- 1 tsp dried rose petals(optional)
Nutrition: Per serving
- kcal207
- fat13g
- saturates5g
- carbs15g
- sugars14g
- fibre1g
- protein8g
- salt0.15g
Method
step 1
Put the melon seeds or pine nuts, poppy seeds, almonds, pistachios, cardamom, fennel seeds and peppercorns in a small bowl. Pour over enough boiling water to submerge everything, then cover the bowl and leave it at room temperature to soften overnight.
step 2
Pour the milk into a medium pan and add the spiced nut mixture along with the soaking water. Bring to a boil over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, then simmer over a low heat, uncovered, for 10 mins. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the sugar and saffron strands along with the milk they were soaked in.
step 3
Leave to cool until lukewarm, then blitz using a blender until smooth. Strain the milk through a double-layer of muslin into a jug and add the rosewater to taste. Chill the thandai, then pour into small glasses and sprinkle over dried rose petals, if you like.