Thandai

Thandai

Alternative names	Sardai
Course	Beverage
Place of origin	India, Pakistan
Serving temperature	Chilled or sometimes hot
Main ingredients	Milk key ingredient, cardamom, almonds, sugar, and saffron, cannabinoids (bhang thandai only)
Variations	Rose thandai, Mango thandai, Badaam kesar thandai, Bhang thandai
Media: Thandai

Thandai is a South Asian cold drink prepared with a mixture of almonds, fennel seeds, watermelon kernels, rose petals, pepper, poppy seeds, cardamom, saffron, milk and sugar. It is native to Indian Subcontinent. It is mainly used in summer. In Sikhism, it is often associated with the Holi or Holla mahalla festival. It is most commonly consumed in hot areas of North India Punjab and Pakistan (Southern Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan). There are variants of thandai and the most common are badam (almond) thandai and bhang (cannabis) thandai.

Thandai is a centerpiece of Holi celebrations where other snacks like dahi vada, gujiya and other savory snacks called chaat are served alongside the cold, sweet beverage.^[1]

Though thandai refers to a traditional festival drink made with various spices and nuts, this versatile drink can also be prepared in many different ways.