Thandai Panna Cotta

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As a kid, I was obsessed with thandai. Thandai is a milky beverage with powdered nuts and spices mixed into it. I drank it almost every night before bed as a kid. It’s typically served during holidays like Holi in India and sometimes mixed with marijuana paste to make a drink called bhang (which is a big hit during Holi ).  In Hindi thandai means cold and it is a tasty, cooling drink to have when it’s hot outside.

I took my childhood favorite drink and elevated it into a delicious panna cotta. Panna cotta is typically made with gelatin, which isn’t vegetarian. I made this recipe with agar agar which is derived from algae. You could also use coconut milk instead of heavy cream if you want to make this vegan!

I have a secret. I actually hate panna cotta. It’s something about the texture that throws me way off. But, this recipe uses thandai masala with nuts which add a lot to the texture to the panna cotta. If you’re not into that, then you can strain the cream before pouring it into your mold or cup. I bought my semi-sphere molds from Amazon. I was afraid I might not be able to un-mold the panna cotta so I also poured some into a tiny mason jar. Luckily the panna cotta released from the mold just fine!

Thandai Panna Cotta

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• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 2 panna cottas (depends on how big your mold/containers are) 1x

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Ingredients

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Thandi Masala

• 1/4 cup pistachios
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup almonds
• pinch of saffron
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp milk powder

Panna Cotta

• 2 tbsp thandai masala
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp agar agar powder

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Instructions

Thadai Masala

1. Dry roast nuts on a low flame for 3-4 minutes on a skillet. Add the saffron strands to the skillet and roast for 30 seconds. Let the nuts and saffron cool.
2. Add all ingredients, including the nuts and saffron, to a blender and blend until you have a fine powder.

Panna Cotta

1. In a heavy bottom sauce pan add heavy cream and thandai masala on medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Add agar agar and whisk continuously until the cream come to a boil.Then simmer on low heat for 2 minutes. Keep whisking the entire time.
2. Pour cream into your mold or cup.
3. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. If you used a mold, just gently pop the panna cotta out of the mold and place onto your serving plate. Garnish with additional thandai masala and enjoy!

Notes

Thandai Masala recipe adapted from Veg Recipes of India

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours

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