My paan thandai takes this popular Holi beverage to another level with the addition of fresh paan leaves and a homemade thandai masala to chilled milk
Once you’ve made my thandai powder, the recipes that you can make with it are plenty. Since, thandai masala is associated with Holi, you can whip up festive delicacies flavored with it. For instance, my coconut milk kheer (rice pudding) recipe is just that. In fact, even here, I’ve taken the regular thandai or “cold drink” to another level by making it, not only with my homemade mix, but also flavoring it with paan leaves. Fresh betel leaves are widely consumed on festive occasions in India. And the festival of colors is no exception. Hence, my paan thandai is a drink that truly captures the spirit of the festival. However, the paan thandai doesn’t look green, like the betel leaves. That’s because, paan doesn’t impart it’s color to the drink and I haven’t added any color to it, as well.
But if you’d like your paan thandai to be green you could add a few drops of food grade green color while making it. Whether you choose to add in the color or not, I am very sure you will love this drink. The combination of the nutty and aromatic thandai masala and paan leaves is truly yummy. Make a big batch of this, store it in the refrigerator and serve it, glassfuls, after you’ve smeared your loved ones with color this Holi. This refreshing drink is just what you’d want after a long session of play with colors! What’s more, I have tried to keep the paan thandai healthy-ish by sweetening it with jaggery powder and not refined sugar. But feel free to add sweetener of your choice.
You may also like,
Kesar badam milk (badam doodh)
Make it and share it
If you are planning to try my delicious and refreshing thandai recipe this Holi, do share the joy of it not just with your family and friends but even me! You can share your thandai pictures with me over on Instagram and Pinterest. I’d be thrilled to see how it turned out for you. You could also leave your feedback in the comment section below, I will surely respond to you. I truly hope that you are going to make and love this wonderful festive drink, just like we do at home.
Eat hearty!
Paan thandai
Equipment
- Blender/Mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk boiled and chilled
- 3-4 fresh paan leaves
- 3-4 tbsp jaggery powder or sweetener of choice
- 5-6 tbsp thandai powder
To garnish (optional)
- pistachio slivers
- rose petals
- saffron strands
Instructions
- Add the milk, thandai powder, jaggery powder and paan leaves (torn roughly) to a blender jar and blend smooth
- Once well mixed and homogeneous, pour the paan thandai in a jar and refrigerate for at least an hour
- When ready to serve, pour in individual glasses and garnish with pistachios, saffron and rose petals and serve. Cheers!
Notes
- You could add a few drops of edible green color in step 1, if you'd like your paan thandai to look green
- 1 cup = 250 millilitres
- tbsp - tablespoon
- tsp - teaspoon
