Dilkhush Thandai

When it comes to chilled beverages made with milk, nothing can beat a Dilkhush Thandai. 'Dilkhush' means something that makes your heart happy. Thandai is a drink that is among the favorites of Indians. Recently, Holi—the festival of colors—passed. Everyone enjoys celebrating the festival, and this drink keeps them energized all day long.

Out of all the drinks made with milk, a typical Thandai holds the virtue of having a high calorific value, which matches its volume. For example, for 200ml of Thandai, the calories would be approximately 200.

I never drink tea or coffee, but when I see a glass full of Thandai, I cannot resist finishing it in one breath. Now, you can imagine how delightful this drink is!

What’s most unique about Thandai is that if you place every other drink made with milk on a table alongside a glass of Thandai, it exudes the vibe of being the most luxurious and special.

The history of Thandai is quite old, as it was a favorite of emperors.

During the Holi celebration, you may find people serving Thandai or even Rooh Afza-infused water on the streets. In the scorching summer heat, I’ve often seen people doing good deeds by offering Thandai to everyone passing by their shops.

The ingredients to make your heart truly happy:

1. A matka (round vessel made up of stainlesss steel).
2. Thandai powder
3. Elaichi (cardamom) powder

Essential vessels/tools:

1. A glass
2. A spoon

Short, sweet, and straight to the point—just like Thandai!

Step 1: Fill a glass with milk. Cow's milk works great, but you can also use soy or almond milk. Once, I tried almond milk—even though it's expensive, I mentioned it explicitly to accommodate my vegan friends.

Step 2: If you're using milk from a milkman or a dairy shop, it’s advisable to boil the milk. Boiling ensures the milk is safe and fresh.

Step 3: After boiling, let the milk cool for about 30 minutes. Once cooled, place it in the refrigerator to chill.

For this recipe, I’ve used chilled milk to instantly prepare my all-time favorite, Dilkhush Thandai.

Before pouring the Thandai powder, let me interrupt and share this short story of mine. The box you saw in the introduction is the one gifted to me during Holi. When I opened it, I was amazed to see vibrant Holi colors, incense sticks, Chandan powder, and Thandai powder. So, I didn’t purchase a single thing from the market—it’s all completely free, but only for me!

I struggle a lot when mixing Thandai powder. This is because I don’t prefer to add sugar, as the powder already contains it. So, I end up tasting the mixture at least 5 to 6 times before I can achieve the desired sweetness by adding more and more Thandai powder.

For those still wondering, Thandai powder is a flavor-packed blend of ingredients that bring together a symphony of taste and aroma. It includes ground peppercorns, fennel, poppy seeds, melon seeds, saffron, rose petals, cashews, almonds, and pistachios. The combination of these ingredients sounds absolutely divine!

Add a little bit of cardamom powder to enhance the flavor with its strong, aromatic taste. Stir it well to ensure everything is evenly mixed and serve the Dilkhush Thandai chilled for the ultimate refreshing experience.

Everyone reading this guide must try this drink at least once in their lifetime. I’ve kept all the details short and straightforward because I believe things always taste better when they’re made instantly.

Feel free to let me know in the comments if you'd like me to try out any additional tweaks with this drink