Thandai Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 litres water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 tbsp. almonds
1 tbsp. kharbooj/tarbooj seeds skinned (commercially available)
(these are skinned dried seeds of watermelon and cantaloupes)
1/2 tbsp. khuskhus (poppy seeds)
1/2 tbsp. saunf (aniseed)
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder or 15 whole pods
1/2 tsp. rose water (optional)
1 tsp. peppercorns whole
1/4 cup dried or fresh rose petals (gulkand variety)

Method:

Soak sugar in 1/2 litre of the water used. Keep aside.
Wash clean all other dry ingredients, except cardamom if using powder.
Soak in 2 cups of remaining water. Keep aside.
Allow all soaked items to stand for at least 2 hours.
Grind all soaked ingredients to a very fine paste. (not sugar)
Use a stone grinder (manual or electric) if possible.
When the paste is very fine, mix remaining water.
Place a strong muslin strainer over a large deep vessel.
Or tie a strong muslin cloth over rim of vessel and use to strain.
Press through muslin with back of palms, extracting the liquid into vessel.
Add remaining water, a little at a time to extract more.
Pour back some of the extract and press, repress.
Repeat this process till the residue becomes dry and husklike.
Add milk, sugar and rosewater to the extracted liquid.
If using cardamom powder mix it in with the milk.
Mix well. Chill for a hour of two before serving.