Thandai (Indian Almond Drink)

This is very easy to make and, oh so refreshing to drink. Note that there's a minimum 2-hour refrigeration time....

Indian

📊 Recipe Overview

⏱️

15 Total Time

👥

8 Servings

⭐⭐

medium Difficulty

📝 Description

This is very easy to make and, oh so refreshing to drink. Note that there's a minimum 2-hour refrigeration time....

🥘 Ingredients

Servings:

Original: 8

1 1/2 liters water
1 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 tablespoon almonds
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, raw, hulled
1/2 tablespoon poppy seed
1/2 tablespoon anise seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon rose water (optional) or 1 teaspoon orange flower water (optional)
1 teaspoon peppercorn
1/4 cup rose petal, organic (optional)

📋 Instructions

Soak sugar in 1/2 litre of the water used. Set aside.
Soak remaining ingredients in 2 cups of remaining water. Set aside.
Allow all soaked items to stand for at least 2 hours.
Grind all soaked ingredients to a very fine paste. (not sugar) in a processor or blender.
Place a double layer of cheesecloth or a coffee filter over/in a strainer and set over a large container/pitcher.
Press through muslin with the back of a spoon, extracting as much liquid as possible.
Add remaining water, a little at a time to extract more of the nut liquid.
Pour back some of the extract and press, repress. Do this a number of times to extract as much flavour out of the nut paste as possible.
Mix well. Chill for atleast 2 hours before serving. You may need to give the drink a stir before pouring.
To serve, sprinkle some rose petals over each serving (optional).
Note: Do not discard the nut paste - it is excellent used in making korma-type curries.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Tips

Professional tips to make this recipe perfect every time!

💡 Read through the entire recipe before starting.
💡 Prepare all ingredients before you begin cooking (mise en place).
💡 Taste and adjust seasoning as needed throughout cooking.
💡 Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best flavor.
💡 Keep your knives sharp for safer and more efficient prep work.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving

Serving Size: 1 portion (8 servings per recipe)

Calories 114.9

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1.4g 2%

Saturated Fat 0.1g 1%

Sodium 9.8mg 0%

Protein 0.7g 1%

Additional Nutrition

Carbohydrates 26.1

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.