Making Thandai For Holi? Elevate With These Chef-Special Recipes
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Gulping glasses of Thandai while playing Holi out in the Sun is a non-negotiable way of celebrating the festival. However, it’s easy to get bored having the same beverage every year. If you want to add a little twist to the traditional thandai, you’re at the right place. 

Whether you want to make your batch of thandai a bit healthier or simply want to use the beverage to make desserts, here are some step-by-step recipes shared by chefs across the country. So, if you want this year’s Holi party to stand out, don’t miss out on these chef-special recipes curated specially for the festival.

Healthy Macadamia Nuts Thandai By Muskan Abbot, Head Chef At Maistella By Muskan

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted macadamias
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 medjool date pitted
  • 4 cups water

Instructions:

  1. Blend the macadamia nuts, vanilla, date and water in a high-performance blender at medium to
  2. high speed until creamy white.
  3. Pour into a clean, sterilised glass bottle.
  4. Store for about 4 days in the fridge and enjoy the Holi staple.

Boondi And Thandai Cremeaux By Chef Vinayak Dalvi, Pastry Sous Chef At ITC Maratha

Ingredients For Boondi:

  • 1 cup besan 
  • ¾ cup water 
  • ¼ tsp baking soda 
  • ¼ tsp saffron food colour 
  • Oil for frying 
  • ½ cup sugar 
  • 2 pods cardamom 
  • ½  cup water 
  • ¼ tsp saffron food colour

Instructions:

  1. To prepare sugar syrup, take sugar, cardamom pods, and water in a large saucepan. 
  2. Stir and mix well until sugar dissolves.  
  3. Now boil for 5 minutes or until the sugar syrup turns slightly sticky. Add saffron colour. 
  4. To prepare boondi, mix gram flour and saffron food colour in a large bowl. 
  5. Now add baking soda and mix well.
  6. To prepare boondi, pour the batter slowly over a skimmer or grater, keeping the oil hot. 
  7. Stir occasionally until the boondi turns golden crisp. 
  8. Collect all the boondi and make sure to drain off the oil completely. 
  9. Transfer the boondi to warm sugar syrup and dip completely. 
  10. Drain off over the colander to remove excess sugar syrup.

Ingredients For Thandai Cremeux:

  • Traditional Thandai 
  • Mascarpone cheese as required 
  • Whipping cream for garnish

Instructions:

  1. With a kitchen blender, soften mascarpone cheese. 
  2. Once the mascarpone cheese is softened, add whipping cream and whip the cream till soft peak. 
  3. In a bowl, take thandai, add whipped mascarpone cream and mix gently.

Thandai Panna Cotta With Gulkand Gelée By Chef Amandeep Singh, The Westin Mumbai Garden City

Ingredients:

For Thandai Panna Cotta:

  • 250 ml fresh cream
  • 250 ml full-fat milk
  • 50 g sugar
  • 1 tbsp Thandai powder
  • 5 g agar-agar or 2 gelatin sheets

For Gulkand Gelée:

  • 200 ml rose water
  • 50 g Gulkand (rose petal jam)
  • 20 g sugar
  • 3 g agar-agar

Instructions:

  1. Heat cream, milk, and sugar in a saucepan over low heat.
  2. Add Thandai powder and simmer for 2 minutes.
  3. Dissolve agar-agar in warm water and mix into the cream mixture.
  4. Pour into serving glasses and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  5. Prepare the gulkand gelée by heating rose water, Gulkand, and sugar in a saucepan.
  6. Dissolve agar-agar in warm water and add to the mixture.
  7. Cool slightly and pour over the set panna cotta.
  8. Chill for another hour before serving.
  9. Garnish with dried rose petals and chopped pistachios before serving.