Thandai masala is added to whole milk and sweetened with sugar as needed to make a classic drink for Holi. What I really love about the masala mixture, though, is that it can be used not just to make beverages, but also thandai-flavored sweets. I like to prepare a large batch of thandai masala and store it airtight in the freezer to make it last longer.
A couple of notes about the nuts in this recipe: First, use blanched almonds since they are softer and do not have a raw almond flavor. Secondly, make sure all of the nuts are unsalted and skinless.
The melon seeds needed for this recipe are also often labeled “char magaz”; they can be challenging to find in many American supermarkets, but can be swapped with more raw cashews if needed.
If using whole cardamom pods, there’s no need to remove the seeds.
What you’ll need
Dried Rose Petals
$14 At Amazon
Char Magaz
$10 At Amazon
White Poppy Seeds
$12 At Amazon
Saffron
$10 At Burlap and Barrel
Recipe information
Total Time
7 minutes
Yield
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
Special equipment
Preparation
Mix ½ cup blanched almonds, ½ cup raw cashews, ¼ cup (30 g) raw pistachios, 2 Tbsp. dried rose petals, 2 Tbsp. fennel seeds, 2 Tbsp. melon seeds (char magaz) or raw cashews, 2 Tbsp. white poppy seeds or raw cashews, 1½ tsp. green cardamom pods (about 25) or 1 Tbsp. ground cardamom, ½ (scant) tsp. black peppercorns (about 30), ¼ (scant) tsp. saffron threads (about 24), one ¼"–½"-long piece of cinnamon stick, and a small pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl to combine. Working in about 5 batches (to avoid grinding the nuts into butter), finely grind mixture in spice mill or mortar and pestle (there may be some pea-size pieces of nuts left; grind as finely as possible if using a mortar and pestle). Transfer back to bowl or to an airtight container if making ahead and stir with a spoon make sure everything is thoroughly mixed.
Do ahead: Thandai masala can be made 1 month ahead. Cover and freeze.
