Thandai Recipes

Steps:

• Soak the almonds and pistachios in boiling water to cover for 1 hour.
• Combine the poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, cardamom seeds, rose petals, fennel and white pepper in a spice mill or grinder and finely grind. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, add just enough boiling water to moisten the mixture (about 1/4 cup) and let it soak for 1 hour.
• Drain the nuts, add them to a blender and grind until smooth. Add a few tablespoons of water as needed to get a smooth consistency. Add the soaked spice mixture and grind again until well mixed and smooth.
• Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until it comes to a boil, about 10 minutes. Add the sugar and ground nut-spice mixture and bring to a gentle boil. Cover and let the mixture steep for at least 1 hour. You can also refrigerate the mixture overnight.
• Soak the saffron in the rosewater in a small bowl and mash with the back of the spoon so the saffron releases its color and turns the rosewater a deep orange.
• Line a strainer with a folded cheesecloth or muslin cloth and set over a large bowl. Pour the cooled mixture through the strainer. Gather the ends of the cloth and squeeze out as much of the aromatic milk as possible. Add the saffron-infused rosewater and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Serve the thandai cold and garnish with rose petals and slivered pistachios. You can also serve it over ice.