Thandai Indian Almond Drink Food

THANDAI (INDIAN ALMOND DRINK)

Steps:

• 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.

THANDAI

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.