Thandai

Ingredients

• 2 cups Half and Half Milk
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• 1 tablespoon Rose Water
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup Water
• 1 tablespoon Cashews
• 1 tablespoon Melon Seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Saffron Strands
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Rose Petal Spread (Gulkand)
• 1.5 teaspoons Fennel Seed Powder
• 1.5 teaspoons Cardamom Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Poppy Seeds
• 12 pieces Almonds
• 15 pieces Pistachios
• 3/4 teaspoon Black Peppercorns

Directions

1. 1Boil milk in a bowl and soak saffron strands in it. Allow it to sit for 15 - 20 minutes. Soaking saffron strands in hot milk releases its color and flavor.
2. 2Stir it with a spoon and milk will have a beautiful pale yellow color. Set it aside.
3. 3Let's assemble our thandai masala ingredients. Feel free to adjust spices according to taste.
4. 4Add all the nuts and spices to a grinder.
5. 5Grind spices to their powdered form. Set it aside.
6. 6You can ground the spices in a motor and pestle too.
7. 7Boil milk in a heavy bottomed pan.
8. 8Stir in the nuts and spices one by one onceit comes to a full boil.
9. 9Whisk so that no lumps remain. Add sugar and keep stirring the liquid. Give it a good boil and take it off the flame. Allow it to cool completely.
10. 10Stir in saffron flavored milk, rose spread and rose water. If no rose spread available add 2 tablespoons of rose water.
11. 11Allow it to sit for a while (an hour or more) so that it can soak in all the flavors. Later sieve it through a strainer, add water and refrigerate this drink for at least 3-4 hours or until chilled.
12. 12Thandai tastes best when served chilled.