HOMEMADE THANDAI RECIPE

     Its HOLI होली - an exuberant festival which brings along with it "Bounty of Colours." Though we personally do not celebrate Holi, until we were in India, the spirit of the festival lingered through when the neighbourhood got alighted with the festivities.  Holi had always been an onlooker process for me. Even during our college days, I never liked to participate in it. My part was always like -  see & enjoy!!!   
     Whenever I think of Holi, I remember an incident which happened during our College Days.  It was during our final year in College and as usual, our North Indian Classmates bought the colours etc., to celebrate it after our classes. Few other classmates also joined them along with other department students who were celebrating the festival in our Campus Car park.  It all ended up well and all went back home happily.  The next day our new Principal had a surprise to all who participated in the celebration - A Suspension along with a long lecture that it was out of Culture that the students behaved.  Though it bought agitation in the midst of the students, they were all helpless about the decision and that's how our College norm works. Students like me supported our fellow classmates and brooded over their suspension, but silently thanking ourselves for not getting involved in the issue. Anyway lets come back to Holi.
     Holi apart from the celebration of colours, like any other festival there are lots of eating & festive foods. Playing with colours & feasting on Special Sweets, Snacks & Drinks - getting into a celebratory mode driving up into food coma ultimately.  Thandai ठंडाई is a special drink synonymous to Holi - an exquisite drink prepared with Milk & loads of Nuts, Rose Petals, Saffron Strands with a delicate note of spices in it. Thandai takes the festive fervour to another level.  Thandai is one favourite drink which comes into the limelight during Holi and it is India's favourite. Every region has its own version, but Thandai in Varanasi is said to be the best.
      I am not sure whether I would ever get a chance of drinking Thandai from Varanasi. The place is famous for its wee bit of a BHANG THANDAI, a special Thandai mixed with bhang for a tipsy feeling. Bhang - Indian Hemp/Cannabis/Marijuana has a special significance in Indian mythology and is considered as an "Intoxicating Drug of an Indian God."  Bhang plays an important role during celebrations like Shivratri and Holi. During these times, the addition of bhang to a traditional Thandai heightens the general sense of merriment on the streets.
    Leave aside the Bhang in Thandai, let's make a simple Thandai from Scratch for this Holi and enjoy the festival of colours in sober. Maybe you want to make it from scratch or prepare it with Ready-made Thandai Masala Powder.  I have given both the methods here... a Healthy version of Homemade Thandai.

Benefits of Thandai:

• Boost Immunity
• Gives instant energy
• Cool down the body
• Aids Digestion

For more JUICES, DRINKS & SMOOTHIES, Click here...


Cuisine - North Indian
Recipe Type - Juices & Drink
Difficulty -Medium
Yields - 3 -4 Medium-sized Glasses
Author - SM  

Preparation Time - 5-7 Minutes
Soaking Time - 5-6 Hours/Overnight
Cooking Time - 20-30 Minutes

HOMEMADE THANDAI RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

For Thandai:

Milk - 3 Cups
Sugar - 1/4 Cup
Saffron - few Strands
Rose Water - a few Drops

 

To Soak & Grind:

Almonds - 10-12 Nos.
Cashew Nuts - 10-12 Nos.
Pistachios - 3-5 Nos.
Watermelon/Pumpkin Kernels - 1 Tspn
Raisins - 10-12 Nos.
Cardamom - 3-5 Nos.
Fennel - 1 Tspn
Peppercorns - 3-5 Nos.
Poppy Seeds/Khus Khus - 1 Tspn
Fresh/Dry Rose Petals - 2 Tspn

For Garnishing:

Crushed Nuts/Dry Fruits
Rose Petals
Saffron Strands

METHOD:

• Soak all the ingredients mentioned under 'To Soak & grind' for about 5-6 Hours/Overnight.
• Once soaked, drain the water. (can use the soaked water for grinding the ingredients)
• Add all the soaked ingredients into a Blender Jar.
• Add a little bit of water at intervals and grind it into a fine paste. 
• Soak Saffron strands in few tbspns of Milk & keep it aside.
• Meanwhile, Boil the Milk.
• Once it boils, lower the flame and add the ground Paste along with Sugar and mix it thoroughly until well combined.
• Pour in the Saffron soaked Milk and mix well.
• Boil the mixture on a very low flame for a few minutes.
• Switch off the flame, cover the pan and leave it aside for about 20 -30 Minutes.
• Now pour in the Rose Water and give a quick stir.
• Leave the Thandai mixture aside undisturbed for another 45 Minutes to 1 Hour or until the flavours get well infused into the Milk.
• Once the flavours are well absorbed into the Milk, strain the Thandai Mixture through a sieve.
• Press the Thandai Masala Solids with a wooden spatula until all the flavoured milk is strained.
• This helps to get the maximum flavours out of the Thandai masala spices into the Thandai.
• Chill the Thandai in a refrigerator, preferably overnight.
• Serve Thandai Recipe chilled garnished with slivered Nuts, Saffron Strands & crushed Rose Petals.

 

NOTES:

• Thandai is usually served chilled.
• So Chill it for about 4 to 5 hours/overnight before serving.
• You can make Thandai, a few days in advance & keep it refrigerated. 
• Can strain the Thandai Mixture just before serving.  This way the flavour gets well infused into the Milk.
• Adjust the amount of Sugar to suit your Sweet Tooth.
• Can substitute Sugar with Honey.
• Some like their Thandai thicker.
• Adjust the consistency of the Thandai to suit your preference.
• If you prefer a thinner Thandai, add a little bit of boiled & cooled water to thin down the drink.

HOW TO MAKE THANDAI WITH THANDAI MASALA POWDER

THANDAI MASALA POWDER

     If you have made this Homemade Thandai Masala Powder then making Thandai Drink gets quicker & easier.

For a detailed Recipe on HOMEMADE THANDAI MASALA POWDER, Click here...

INGREDIENTS:

Milk - 1 Cup
Thandai Masala Powder - 1 Tbspn
Sugar/Honey - as required
Rose Water - 1/4 Tspn

For Garnishing:

Crushed Nuts/Dry Fruits
Rose Petals
Saffron Strands

HOMEMADE THANDAI RECIPE WITH THANDAI MASALA POWDER

HOMEMADE THANDAI RECIPE

METHOD:

• Boil 1 Cup of Milk along with 1 tablespoon of the Thandai Masala Powder and a preferred Sweetener.
• It can be Sugar/Palm Sugar/Jaggery/Honey. 
• Stir everything until well combined.
• Boil the Thandai mixture for few minutes or until the flavour gets well infused into the drink. 
• Then strain it through a colander. 
• Add a few drops of Rose Water.
• Garnish it with few strands of Saffrons & crushed Rose Petals. 
• Serve Chilled or at Room Temperature. 
• If you are serving it chilled, leave the boiled Milk & Thandai Masala Powder(before straining) in the refrigerator. 
• Strain the Thandai Mixture just before serving.  
• This way the flavour gets well infused into the milk.

THANDAI MASALA POWDER

     Thandai Masala Powder is a quick and easy way to make Thandai "ठंडाई ", a must make drink for Holi & Sivaratri.  Though making Thandai from scratch is a little bit of a tedious process, preparing it with Thandai Masala Powder makes the job easier & quicker. Traditionally it is made by soaking the spices in milk or water overnight and then grinding the ingredients to a fine paste before mixing it into the milk along with flavourings & garnishes.

THANDAI MASALA POWDER

INGREDIENTS:

Almonds - 1/2 Cup
Cashew Nuts - 1/2 Cup
Pistachios - 2 Tbspn
Watermelon/Pumpkin Kernels - 2 Tbspn
Cardamom - 15-20 Nos.
Fennel - 2 Tbspn
Peppercorns - 15-20 Nos.
Poppy Seeds/Khus Khus - 2 Tbspn
Dry Rose Petals - 2 Tbspn
Saffron - few Strands

METHOD:

• Add all the above-mentioned Ingredients into a Blender Jar.
• Grind it into a fine powder.
• Store Thandai Masala Powder in an airtight container.
• Stays good for about a week to 10 Days.
• Store Thandai Masala Powder in the refrigerator for longer shelf life.

HOW TO MAKE THANDAI WITH THANDAI MASALA POWDER

THANDAI WITH THANDAI MASALA POWDER

     If you have made this Homemade Thandai Masala Powder then making Thandai Drink gets quicker & easier.

INGREDIENTS:

Milk - 1 Cup
Thandai Masala Powder - 1 Tbspn
Sugar/Honey - as required
Rose Water - 1/4 Tspn

For Garnishing:

Crushed Nuts.Dry Fruits
Rose Petals
Saffron Strands

METHOD:

• Boil 1 Cup of Milk along with 1 tablespoon of the Thandai Masala Powder and a preferred Sweetener.
• It can be Sugar/Palm Sugar/Jaggery/Honey. 
• Stir everything until well combined.
• Boil the Thandai mixture for few minutes or until the flavour gets well infused into the drink. 
• Then strain it through a colander. 
• Add a few drops of Rose Water.
• Garnish it with few strands of Saffrons & crushed Rose Petals. 
• Serve Chilled or at Room Temperature. 
• If you are serving it chilled, leave the boiled Milk & Thandai Masala Powder(before straining) in the refrigerator. 
• Strain the Thandai Mixture just before serving.  
• This way the flavour gets well infused into the milk.

KADAI EGG MASALA

     Kadai Egg Masala is nothing but a rich gravy cooked and served in a utensil called Kadai/Wok.  Kadai/Karahi is a Deep, heavy-bottomed Circular pans used for cooking in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.  Slightly shallow pans of the same genre are found in other Southeast Asian countries. This method of cooking is most prevalent in North India and Pakistan. Whereas the Pakistani version of this dish does not add Capsicums, but North Indian version is loaded with Capsicums(Bell Peppers).  The flavour of Bell Peppers induces a wonderful taste to this traditional Kadai Masala.  Freshly ground spice powders enhance the overall flavour of the dish.

Simple Egg Recipes

     If you love easy and simple Egg recipes for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner, you might like to try these quick, easy and simple egg curry recipes which go along with both Roti & Rice.

• Egg Masala

• Egg Kurma

• Egg Curry with Coconut Milk

• Chicken in Scrambled Egg Gravy

Cuisine: North Indian, Pakistani
Course: Side Dish
Difficulty: Medium
Serves: 4-6
Author: SM

Preparation Time: 15-20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 20-30 Minutes


For more Recipes with EGG, Click here...

HOW TO COOK KADAI EGG MASALA 

KADAI EGG MASALA

 

INGREDIENTS :

For Kadai Egg Masala:

Egg - 6 Nos.
Onions - 2 Nos.
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 4 Tbspn
Green Chillies - 5-6 Nos.
Tomatoes - 3 Nos.
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tspn.
Oil/Ghee - 3 Tbspns.
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 Tspn
Cashew Nuts - 10-12 Nos.
Salt - To Taste
Sugar - 1/2 Tspn

 

For a detailed step-by-step process on HOW TO MAKE PERFECT HARD BOILED EGGS, Click here...

For Spice Powder :

Coriander Seeds - 1 Tbspn
Green Cardamom - 6-7 Nos.
Cloves - 6-7 Nos.
Peppercorn - 1/4 Tspn

To Garnish :

Coriander Leaves - Few
Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves) - Few

METHOD :

• Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned under the 'for the spice powder' until fragrant on a low flame and keep it aside.
• Grind the dry roasted spices into a fine powder.
• Puree the Tomatoes and keep them aside.
• Hard boil the Eggs, Peel and cut the Eggs into halves or use full Eggs.
• Heat about 3 Tbspns of Oil/Ghee in a pan and shallow fry the boiled Eggs until the surface becomes slightly crispy.
• Once the Eggs turn into light golden brown in colour, remove them from the Oil and keep it aside.
• In the remaining Oil/Ghee in a pan, splutter Fenugreek seeds.
• Saute Ginger-Garlic paste until fragrant.
• Add finely chopped Onions and fry them until translucent.
• Add 1/2 the amount of ground Spice powder, Turmeric, Red Chilli Powder, slit Green Chillies and mix well.
• Add Tomato Puree along with a dash of Salt to the above Mix and give a quick stir.
• Leave this on a low flame until the raw flavour goes and oil separates from the curry.
• Add ground Cashew Paste & a dash of Sugar into the gravy and leave it on a low flame for few minutes.
• Now add shallow fried Egg along with Capsicum slices and cook for few more minutes.
• Finally, sprinkle the remaining freshly ground Spice Powder and give a quick stir.
• Leave this on a very low flame for few minutes or until the flavour of the Kadai Masala gets well infused into the Eggs.
• Garnish it with Coriander Leaves and Kasuri Methi.
• Serve Kadai Egg Masala hot with any type of rice dishes like Biriyanis & Pulaos or Steamed Rice, especially Steamed Basmati Rice.
• Kadai Egg Masala goes well with  Naan, Kulcha, Parathas, Chapatis, Malabar Parotta/Roti Canai etc.,
• I personally like to pair this Kadai Egg Masala with Vellayappam or Dosa.

NOTES :

• Can marinate the boiled Eggs with Turmeric, Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder and 2 Tbspns of Curd for 30 minutes and then shallow fry them.
• Dry roast the spices in order as I have mentioned in the list. (smaller spices tend to brown sooner) 
• Adding freshly ground Spice Powder gives an enhanced flavour to the dish.
• Adding Capsicum is optional.
• Adding Cashew Paste/Fresh Cream is purely optional.

CAULIFLOWER PAKODA - GOBI PAKORA

    Cauliflower Pakoda/Gobi Pakora is a simple deep-fried recipe prepared with Cauliflower florets. Deep-fried Crispy and Crunchy snack prepared with a wonderful combination of Onions, Green Chillies, Spices and Gram Flour.   A call for a snack or a rainy evening instantly reminds me of Hot deep-fried snacks, you can easily squeeze in this crispy & tasty Cauliflower Pakoda as a Tea time snack or even as a side dish for Lunch/Dinner.  There are many variations of the same recipe, but this is the most sought-after 'Starter' in fast food joints and restaurants.  Though they look red and fiery, they are not as spicy as they look. This recipe is quite similar to the most popular Gobi/Cauliflower 65 & Chicken 65. with slight variations in batter and add-ons. It serves as an entrée (starter) or even as a quick snack.
     Batter mixed Cauliflower florets are deep-fried until they turn crispy and is usually served with a choice of Chutney/Dips/Sauces. Cauliflower Pakoda/Gobi Pakora is a simple recipe with minimal ingredients. The flavour of the dish can be attributed to Red Chilli Powder & the flours but the rest of the ingredients for the recipe can vary.



Cuisine - Indian
Course - Appetizer / Starter
Spice Level - Medium
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3-4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

HOW TO COOK CAULIFLOWER PAKODA - GOBI PAKORA

CAULIFLOWER PAKODA - GOBI PAKORA

INGREDIENTS:

To Blanch the Cauliflower:

Cauliflower Florets - 3 Cups
Water - 5 Cups
Salt - To Taste

For Cauliflower Pakoda

Gram Dhal Flour -1/2 Cup
Rice Flour - 1/4 Cup
Corn Flour - 1/4 Cup
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 Teaspoons
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Teaspoon
Onion - 1 No.
Green Chillies - 2 Nos.
Curry Leaves - 2 Sprigs
Salt - To Taste
Water - as required.

To Fry:

Oil

METHOD:

• Clean and cut the Cauliflower into florets
• Wash the Cauliflower florets and soak the florets in warm water with a pinch of Turmeric & a dash of Salt in it for a few minutes.
• Allow it to dry in a colander.
• Cut Onions into thin Slices & chop Green Chillies.
• Prepare Ginger Garlic Paste & keep it aside.
• Meanwhile, prepare the Pakoda Batter.
• Mix all the ingredients mentioned under 'For Cauliflower Pakoda'.
• The batter should be thick, add water a little at a time while mixing.
• Add the Cauliflower Florets to the batter and mix well.
• Heat cooking oil and deep-fry the Cauliflower Florets on a medium-high flame in small batches until they are well cooked and the sizzling stops.
• Remove the fried Cauliflower Pakoda/Gobi Pakora and allow it to drain on a paper towel.
• Serve Cauliflower Pakoda/Gobi Pakora hot as a starter or as a side dish along with your preferred dish.
• Serve it along with your preferred Chutney/Sauce/Dips. 
• Cauliflower Pakoda/Gobi Pakora tastes great with Green Chutney.

NOTES :

• Drain the Cauliflower Florets well, before mixing it along with the Batter.
• Adjust the amount of spiciness to suit your taste preference. 
• Kashmiri Chilli Powder is less spicy and gives a fiery red colour to the dish, even without adding any food colouring.
• I have not used any food colouring in this recipe.

Traditional Coimbatore Angannan Style Chicken Biriyani

Notes:

• Seeraga Samba Rice is preferred for its texture, but Basmati Rice can be used.
• Adjust water ratio according to rice type.
• For softer rice, add extra water or substitute some with coconut milk.
• Adjust spices and green chillies to taste.
• Ghee enhances texture and aroma.
• Lime juice prevents sticky rice.
• The ground masala yields approximately 1/2 cup.
• Cooking the chicken with masala and curd yields succulent pieces.
• For mutton Biriyani, pre-cook the mutton with turmeric and green chillies and use the stock for cooking.

    Indulge in the culinary delights of Coimbatore with this exquisite Angannan Style Chicken Biriyani recipe. With its blend of aromatic spices, succulent chicken, and fragrant rice, this dish promises to transport your taste buds to the vibrant streets of Tamil Nadu. Whether you're a seasoned Biriyani enthusiast or just starting your culinary journey, this recipe is sure to impress with its rich flavours and comforting textures. Serve it alongside a refreshing curd-onion raita or your favourite side dish for a truly unforgettable dining experience. So why wait? Gather your ingredients and embark on a culinary adventure with this Coimbatore Angannan Style Chicken Biriyani today!