Bhang Ki Thandai Recipe

Bhang has become synonymous with Indian festivals. So much so that bhang based preparations have become an essential ingredient of Indian festivities as important as Holi Festival. In Holi, the festival of color, drinks and food is impregnated with bhang. The thandai, the pakoras and the vadas, all hide that secret and sacred ingredient that helps to intensify the festive spirit of Holi.

Bhang is a preparation made from leaves and chalices of cannabis plants. It can be smoked, ingested, chewed or prepared in infusions. Its intake causes a slight feeling of euphoria.

The history of this plant is closely linked to the history of mankind. Over the years, their shoots have been cultivated for medicinal purposes, their stems used to make fibers and their seeds to make food.



In India the bhang is associated with Shiva and plays an important role in religious life as a sacred intoxicant. In the ancient text Atharvaveda, bhang is described as a beneficial herb that liberates anxiety.
In imitation of Shiva, many sadhus use bhang to propel and attain states of transcendental meditation. In India, there are many popular traditions and superstitions associated with bhang. Many believe that stepping on a sacred leaf of bhang can have negative effects for the person and that dreaming of the sacred plant augurs good omens.

Indians also firmly believe in its medicinal properties, using it to cure fever, dysentery or heatstroke. Taken in its proper measure energizes the body and clarifies the mind. One of the most popular variants in India is bhang lassi, a drink made from fresh leaves and cannabis seeds and a yogurt milkshake with spices.

In areas of tourist predominance like Jaisalmer, Pushkar or Puri, it is easy to find shops dedicated to the legal sale of bhang. Although if there is an official center of bhang lassi it is Varanasi. There, in its famous ghats, it is very common to find a large number of men dedicated to the preparation and sale of bhang lassi.

The thandai or sardai, is a cold, tasty and energetic drink popular mostly in Varanasi. It is a sweet blend of milk, nuts and spices that is frequently taken during Maha Shivaratri and Holi.

Another variant, very popular in northern India, is bhang ki thandai, whose essential ingredients are bhang and thandai, a cold drink made with almonds, rose petals, ginger and spices such as garam masala of clove, cinnamon and cardamom, among other ingredients. The bhang can also be ingested in the form of spicy balls called "golees" or "halva" a dough made with butter and sugar.

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 225 calories

Ingredients:

10 cannabis leaves/flowers
1 tsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried ginger
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 clove
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp watermelon seeds
1/2 tsp cardamom
6 almonds
A pinch of nutmeg
2 tbsp sugar
Water
300 ml milk

Recipe Method

Boil 300 ml of water, then remove from heat, add the cannabis and let stand 5 minutes. Stir vigorously for a few minutes to flavour the water, and then remove the cannabis and put the water aside.

Remove all the seeds and twigs from the cannabis. Put it on a chopping board or in a pestle and make a smooth paste, then slowly add the milk and other ingredients already pulverized and mix, except poppy seeds, watermelon and sugar. Make a paste and set aside.

Grind the watermelon seeds and poppy to a paste. Mix the two pastes with remaining milk, and mix well and filter through a thin fabric. Remove the unfiltered content.

Add the sugar, stirring until completely dissolved, and filter again. Add milk to your desired consistency, and add the flavored water previously set aside. Serve chilled.