Thandai Masala Powder Recipe – How To Make Thandai Powder At Home

Thandai is a very popular drink in North India that is mainly served during Holi festival and Maha Shivratri. This drink is the best coolant for body with lots of  health benefits as it is prepared with the combination of nuts, whole spices and milk. Yesterday my neighbor called me to enquire whether we get readymade thandai masala powder or thandai syrup at shops nearby my house. I browsed for some good brands and told her to get Patanjali or Haldirams Thandai powder as these are the well known names to me. She searched in shops but couldn’t get it. So I thought of preparing homemade thandai masala powder and share with her. 

As I had already shared the recipe of thandai from scratch, I know making at home is very easy. I used to make it regularly for every Maha Shivaratri festival along with our South Indian style arisi vella puttu and offer to Lord Shiva. This year I was planning to make the same following my recipe. But now after my neighbor’s suggestion, I wanted to make and store this homemade thandai masala in advance and prepare it quickly on Shivrathri day. I watched some You tube video recipes and adapted this recipe.

I have also watched a video from BBD TV’s travel escapades in which the preparation of thandai with & without bhang from a popular shop in Ujjain was shown.I found it very useful. For this thandai powder recipe, I could see many variations across the web.Some recipes are very simple with just 4 ingredients and some recipes are with bhang as well. But in this recipe, I have not used Bhang. Basically bhang balls are made from hemp seeds and leaves which are washed, cleaned and grinded to a smooth paste. But it should be used in minimum quantity as over dosage induces psychosis, excitement, uncooperativeness and hallucinations.

This is a very simple thandai masala that can be prepared with easily available ingredients. I have used Khus Khus in this recipe. I know its banned in some of the countries. In that case, feel free to skip it.Yesterday I made thandai using this powder and it came out very well. It was refreshing and we loved it a lot. I have passed some of this powder to my neighbor. I hope her family will like it too. Ok, lets see how to make Thandai masala powder at home with step by step pictures.

Thandai masala powder recipe

How to make thandai masala powder recipe at home

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Drinks Recipes

Serves: 12

Prep time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 10 Minutes

Total time: 15 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup - 250ml Almond/Badam - 1/4 cup Cashew nuts – 2 tbsp Melon seeds - 2 tbsp Khus khus – 3 tbsp Fennel seeds – 2 tbsp ( OR cumin seeds) Pepper corns – 1 tsp Cardamom – 8 nos Nutmeg - Very small piece (optional) Saffron threads - Few Sugar - 1/2 – 3/4 cup Dried Rose petals - 1 tbsp or 15 nos OR rose essence - 1 tsp Pista – 1 tbsp (Optional , I used it) To make thandai ( For one serving) Boiled milk – 1 cup ( At room temperature, use full fat milk) Thandai powder – 1 tbsp ( Adjust) Ice cubes – few ( 2 nos)

HOW TO MAKE THANDAI POWDER - METHOD

Take all the ingredients for thandai masala and keep it ready. Grind them to a fine powder using a mixie. Sieve it and again grind the coarse ones. Use the remaining leftovers for making fresh thandai or lassi. Mix the powder well with a spoon and store in a box. Thandai masala powder is ready ! This powder can be stored for 2 months in an air tight box. Use clean spoon to handle. To make Thandai : Boil thick, full cream milk and let it cool down to room temperature. In a wide bowl, put few ice cubes, add 2 cups of milk and 1 tbsp ( i.e 5-6 tsp) thandai powder. Mix well. Check for taste and add more sugar or thandai powder if needed. Strain it using a cloth strainer( Tea strainer) and serve it. If you want to serve later, refrigerate it till use. It tastes the best only when served chilled. The more the standing time, the more tasty it would be! Straining is more important.Do not forget to strain the milk after adding thandai powder. Enjoy !

Note

There is no hard and fast rule in the quantity of ingredients for masala. You can reduce or increase it as per your like. I felt pistachios are not needed as it was not mentioned in the Ujjain video.Still I had used just 1/2 tbsp of it. Do not add more. It would dominate the other ingredients in flavor. Do not add more pepper corns. The color of thandai is usually sandal in color if its made without bhang. It looks green when bhang is added. Adjust the amount of cardamom and fennel as they are the flavoring ingredients for thandai. Straining is more important. Do not forget to strain the milk after adding thandai powder.

Try this Thandai powder at home and enjoy this refreshing drink instantly at your will !

Technorati Tags: thandai powder,thandai powder recipe,thandai masala powder recipe,how to make thandai powder,how to make thandai powder at home,thandai masala,how to make thandai masala,thandai recipe,shivratri recipes,holi recipes

Continue Reading...

Mango Lassi Recipe - Easy Mango Recipes

I am trying varieties of Mango recipes in my kitchen in this mango season.Recently my friend Shalini gave me a big tin of mango pulp and few mangoes.I tried Ripe mango pickle, Mango Kesari, Mango lassi and mango kulfi with it. I am yet to post Mango kulfi and ripe mango pickle. Lassi is my family favorite recipe. We love to have lassi in different flavors. So I tried Mango lassi at home for Sendhil & Raksha. Its so easy to make and it came out creamy, thick with the yummy flavor of mango.Both loved it very much. For vegan version, you can replace curd & milk with almond milk. Lets see how to make easy, Indian style sweet mango lassi using mango pulp.

Mango Lassi Recipe

How to make creamy mango lassi at home

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Dessert

Serves: Serves 1-2

Prep time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 5 Minutes

Total time: 10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Ripe mango - 1/2 no Or Mango pulp - 1/2 cup Boiled & cooled milk - 1/4 cup Thick,fresh curd - 1 cup Sugar – 1-2 tbsp (Adjust based on the sweetness of mango) Cardamom powder or vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp Chopped nuts & mint leaves - to garnish

METHOD

Wash and peel the skin of ripe mango. Chop into cubes and grind them in a mixie jar adding a tbsp of water. Measure 1/2 cup of pulp from it. Take the measured mango pulp in a big mixie jar. To this, add sugar, milk, curd, vanilla essence or cardamom powder.Milk should be at room temperature. Grind everything to a thick,creamy paste. Add more milk or curd to adjust its consistency as you wish. Transfer it to a tall glass and serve immediately with chopped nuts and fresh mint leaf on top. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of sugar based on your taste. You can use readymade store bought mango pulp too. But taste it before you use to check its sweetness. If the pulp is too sour, do not use it for making lassi. Make sure you do not use hot milk. Lassi will look curdled. You can use either cardamom powder or vanilla essence for flavor OR you can avoid both.

Enjoy this creamy, yummy mango lassi at home !! It tastes D-licious !!

Technorati Tags: mango lassi with mango pulp,easy mango lassi,mango lassi with kesar mango pulp,best mango lassi recipe,mango lassi recipe,mango lassi recipe indian style,mango lassi recipe indian,sweet mango lassi recipe

Very good recipes Tags: mango lassi with mango pulp, easy mango lassi, mango lassi with kesar mango pulp, best mango lassi recipe, mango lassi recipe, mango lassi recipe indian style, mango lassi recipe indian, sweet mango lassi recipe

Continue Reading...

Masala Coke (Pepsi) – Masala Soda Recipe

Masala coke is a very popular Indian Cold drink in Juice shops of Bangalore and Mumbai. I have tasted masala coke in a small juice shop in Gandhi bazaar. You can find varieties like masala Pepsi, masala Sprite, masala Thumbs up, lemon soda, Lemon cola, lemon ginger soda, paneer soda etc in the menu.

 The recipe of masala coke is very simple & that is made with easily available ingredients. It can be quickly prepared in minutes by adding a lavish sprinkle of masala powders to Coke or Pepsi. When I saw the juice shop guy making it, I got tempted to try it at home. So I bought a can of diet coke & coco cola and tried it for myself and Sendhil. We enjoyed it thoroughly. It tastes more like jal jeera with the fizz of coke. 

If you are concerned about drinking Coke or Pepsi, you can make the same with soda water and enjoy it as masala soda. Make and Serve during parties and get together during this vacation. I am sure everyone will enjoy this drink. Lets see how to make masala coke at home.

Check out my other Summer Drinks Recipes too !

Masala coke recipe

Masala coke/pepsi recipe at home - Masala soda drink for summer

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Drinks

Serves: Serves 2

Prep time: 2 Minutes

Cook time: 2 Minutes

Total time: 4 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Coke/Pepsi/Coco cola/Thumbs up - 300ml can ( Adjust all these powders based on taste) Chat masala powder - 1/2 tsp Black salt - 1/4 tsp Roasted Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp Ajwain powder – A  small pinch, Optional Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp Lemon juice - few drops Mint leaves - to garnish Ice cubes - to add while serving

HOW TO MAKE MASALA COKE - METHOD

In a serving glass, add all the spice powders, lemon juice given above. Add the coke little by little till 1/3 rd of the glass and wait till the bubbles/froth subside. Mix with a spoon.Add another 1/3 rd  of glass and mix well. Repeat until the entire glass is full.Check for taste and add more chat masala, black salt & pepper powder, lemon juice as per your taste.Serve immediately adding some ice cubes.Garnish with mint leaves if you wish and enjoy !!

Note

Adjust the quantity of masala powders based on taste. For variations, you can replace coke with diet coke, Pepsi, Thumbs up, Sprite or even Club Soda. If you have jal jeera powder, you can add that instead of chat masala powder & cumin powder.

Enjoy this easy, yummy Masala coke/Pepsi at home during this summer vacation. You will love it !!

Technorati Tags: how to make masala soda at home,masala coke recipe,recipe for masala cola,masala lime soda recipe,how to make masala coke,indian masala soda recipe,nimbu masala soda recipe,Masala pepsi recipe,Masala thumbs up,Indian drink recipes,Summer recipes

Very good recipes Tags: how to make masala soda at home, masala coke recipe, recipe for masala cola, masala lime soda recipe, how to make masala coke, indian masala soda recipe, nimbu masala soda recipe, Masala pepsi recipe, Masala thumbs up, Indian drink recipes, Summer recipes

Continue Reading...

Orange Mocktail Recipe – Orange Lemon Juice Recipe

Orange mocktail / Orange lemon juice recipe is a simple and yummy summer drinks recipe. I make juices & milk shakes with fruits very rarely as we love to eat whole fruits. Recently I had this Orange mocktail in a juice corner. Raksha & myself loved it a lot. She told me to pack it for her school morning break time. So I browsed for mocktail recipes without alcohol and found it from Sharmi’s blog. The combination of Orange juice and lemon juice was perfect. Raksha gave a big thumbs up after drinking it and she told me to make it very often too. I usually make Eggless Orange cake during this fruit season.I am happy that I got yet another interesting recipe using orange fruit. Lets see how to make this non–alcoholic cocktail recipe - Orange Mocktail at home easily.

Orange Mocktail recipe

Easy orange mocktail recipe - Non-alcoholic version.

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Drinks

Serves: Serves 1

Prep time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 2 Minutes

Total time: 7 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Orange - 2 nos Lemon - 1/2 - 1 no ( adjust) Sugar - 2-3 tbsp Water - as needed Soda water - optional

METHOD

Extract the juice from Oranges.Add lemon juice and mix well.Strain the juice and add required sugar and water.Mix well and check for taste.Add more sugar or water if needed. Serve immediately. Enjoy !

Enjoy this easy,delicious healthy mocktail at home !

Technorati Tags: Orange mocktail recipe,Orange mocktail,how to make orange mocktail,orange mocktail drinks,orange mocktail without alcohol,non alcoholic mocktail recipes,mocktail recipes,orange mocktail no alcohol

Very good recipes Tags: Orange mocktail recipe, Orange mocktail, how to make orange mocktail, orange mocktail drinks, orange mocktail without alcohol, non alcoholic mocktail recipes, mocktail recipes, orange mocktail no alcohol

Continue Reading...

Cold Coffee Recipe – How To Make Cold Coffee Without Icecream

Basically I love to experiment different types of coffee at home. Long back I had tried and shared homemade Espresso coffee without machine. After that I tried to make Cappuccino at home but it was not upto the mark. My recent crush is to try Cold Coffee at home. I have not tasted cold coffee in Cafe Coffee Day(CCD). But I have heard a lot from my friends. So I got tempted to give a try on my own & thought Valentine’s day would be a good choice because Sendhil likes to have cold coffee more than our South Indian filter coffee. 

This morning I made it for the first time following this recipe. I have never thought its so easy to make at home. Its just a mix and blend of instant coffee powder,cocoa powder, milk and ice cubes. With a mild bitterness, it was awesome. Being a coffee lover,i enjoyed every sip thoroughly. I tried to decorate the glass with hershey choco syrup. But it wasn't perfect :( Cold coffee can be made with & without ice cream. Today I made it without icecream and used Bru instant coffee powder. But I read using Nescafe and ice cream makes it tastier, creamy and rich like Cafe Coffee Day. 

So try to use them if you have in hand. Soon I must try Frappe, mocha and other variants of coffee. Ok, now lets see how to make cold coffee recipe at home. Try it for your loved ones on this Valentine’s day. Enjoy one coffee with two straw.

Cold coffee recipe without ice cream

How to make cold coffee without ice cream at home

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Beverages

Serves: 2

Prep time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 5 Minutes

Total time: 10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Instant coffee powder - 2 tbsp ( I used Bru, Nescafe would be better) Unsweetened cocoa powder - 1/2 tbsp Water – 3 tbsp Sugar - 3-4 tbsp Boiled milk - 2 cups ( use full fat milk for best taste) Ice cream - 1 scoop ( optional, Vanilla or chocolate) Ice cubes - few ( I used 3 nos)

HOW TO MAKE COLD COFFEE WITHOUT ICE CREAM - METHOD

Heat 3 tbsp of water in a pan and mix coffee powder, cocoa powder along with sugar. Boil the mixture in slow flame till sugar dissolves completely. Keep stirring. Mixture will becomes a thick solution. Switch off the flame and let it cool. Take a big mixie jar and add 2 cups of milk ( Preferrably boiled milk at room temperature or chilled), 3 tbsp of coffee solution, ice cubes and blend well for few seconds till the coffee becomes frothy. ( Store the remaining coffee solution in a refrigerator and use it the next day itself). Check for taste and add more coffee solution, sugar as per your taste. Transfer it to a glass along with froth and serve it with a scoop of icecream on top. If you are not using ice cream, just decorate it with a sprinkle of coffee powder or cocoa powder. You can also add colorful sprinklers or even choco chips. Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of sugar as per your taste. Add more cocoa powder if you like chocolate flavor in your coffee. Full fat milk gives more creamy,frothy coffee. But I used low fat milk here. Store the remaining coffee solution in refrigerator and use it the next day. Do not keep it for long.

Enjoy this cold coffee with your loved ones and have a lovely day !

Technorati Tags: cold coffee recipe,cold coffee recipe at home,cold coffee without ice cream recipe,cold coffee recipe indian,beverages,coffee types,different types of coffee,coffee recipe,cold coffee

Very good recipes Tags: cold coffee recipe, cold coffee recipe at home, cold coffee without ice cream recipe, cold coffee recipe indian, beverages, coffee types, different types of coffee, coffee recipe, cold coffee

Continue Reading...

Pina Colada–Virgin Pina Colada Recipe

Pina Colada is a sweet cocktail made with rum,coconut cream/coconut milk and pineapple juice.It is a spanish term and is considered as the national drink of Puerto Rico.Pina colada can be prepared with alcohol and without alcohol.Today i have shared a non-alcoholic Pina Colada recipe with coconut milk which is popularly known as “Virgin Pina Colada”.I have heard about this drink but was waiting for a chance to taste in a restaurant.Recently I had this drink in cable car,Jayanagar.It was so rich,creamy and lip smacking !! We loved it a lot.Actually Pina colada is a summer drinks recipe but i wanted to try and blog it now by keeping Christmas & New year celebrations in my mind.Its an apt dessert that can be served in parties.I used readymade coconut milk powder to make it quickly.You can replace it with homemade thick coconut milk or coconut cream.It tastes even more rich.Lets see how to make this easy,yummy cocktail recipe - Virgin Pina Colada

Virgin Pina Colada Recipe

How to make pina colada recipe without alcohol

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Cocktail

Serves: Serves 2

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 5 Minutes

Total time: 15 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 200 ml Pineapple pieces - 3/4 cup Thick coconut milk – 1.5 cups Sugar - 3-4 tbsp Ice cubes - 3-4 ( adjust)

METHOD

Take the washed, cleaned pineapple and chop into pieces.Take them in a blender/mixer.Add sugar and thick coconut milk( I mixed 5-6 tbsp of readymade coconut milk powder in 1 cup of warm water to make thick coconut milk). Grind it to a smooth paste. Add crushed ice cubes and grind again.Transfer it to a serving glass and serve immediately.Enjoy !

Note

You can replace coconut milk by thick coconut cream. Adjust the quantity of sugar as per your taste. If using fresh coconut,use 1/2 of big sized coconut to make thick coconut milk.

Easy,yummy Pina colada – Enjoy this cocktail at home !!

Technorati Tags: Pina colada recipe,Virgin pina colada recipe,pina colada no alcoholic recipe,pina colada without alcohol,pina colada with coconut milk,pinacolada recipe,summer drinks,coconut milk recipes,pineapple recipes

Very good recipes Tags: Pina colada recipe, Virgin pina colada recipe, pina colada no alcoholic recipe, pina colada without alcohol, pina colada with coconut milk, pinacolada recipe, summer drinks, coconut milk recipes, pineapple recipes

Continue Reading...

Ginger Cardamom Tea Recipe - Inji Elakkai Tea

Ginger Cardamom tea / Inji elakkai tea must be the favorite tea of many. The day of Indians never complete without a chai. Be it morning or evening, drinking a tea/chai makes us refreshing and energetic. Not just that, drinking tea has some health benefits too. In my family, my dad and FIL loves to have tea both in morning and evening. My mom always makes tea with cardamom. Whereas my MIL adds ginger with cardamom ( Inji, elakkai tea) to improve digestion. By watching my mom and MIL, I learnt how to make a good, flavorful tea. I love to attempt varieties of tea and shared Masala chai, Assam tea and ginger tea recipes already. In this post, I have shared a basic tea recipe adding ginger and cardamom for beginners. Hope it would be useful. Ok, Lets see how to make inji, elaichi tea now.

Indian Tea Recipe-Ginger Cardamom tea

How to make ginger,cardamom tea at home

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Cooking Basics

Serves: 1

Prep time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 5 Minutes

Total time: 10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250 ml Boiled Milk - 3/4 cup ( Thick milk) Water - 4 tbsp Sugar - 1.25-1.5 tsp Tea powder - 1 tsp ( I use 3 roses brand) Ginger - 2 inch piece Cardamom - 1 no

HOW TO MAKE GINGER CARDAMOM TEA - METHOD

Wash and peel the skin of ginger. Crush it along with cardamom using a mortar & pestle. Keep aside. Take the boiled milk in a milk pan or bowl. Add little water. If you use thick full cream milk add 1/4 cup of water for 3/4 cup of milk. If using thin milk, add just 2 tbsp of water. To this add sugar and tea powder. Add the crushed ginger & cardamom seed. Keep the flame medium and boil the tea for 2 minutes. The essence of ginger and cardamom would be absorbed well. Remove the pan and strain the tea using a tea strainer or cloth filter. Serve in a glass or cup. Enjoy !

Note

Add more sugar based on your taste. My mom always adds less sugar because the sugar should not supress the taste and flavor of tea. You can make this tea by adding ginger or cardamom alone. Tea tastes good only if water is added to the milk. So a tea should not be thick. If you want strong and nice colored tea, add more tea powder and allow it to boil for more time.

Try this easy and flavorful tea. Enjoy your evening time !

Technorati Tags: ginger cardamom chai recipe,Ginger cardamom tea,cardamom tea recipe,ginger tea recipe,how to make cardamom tea,Indian ginger tea recipe,how to make Indian tea,Indian chai

Very good recipes Tags: ginger cardamom chai recipe, Ginger cardamom tea, cardamom tea recipe, ginger tea recipe, how to make cardamom tea, Indian ginger tea recipe, how to make Indian tea, Indian chai

Continue Reading...