Mahashivratri Recipes: How to Make Bhaang-Thandai at Home in 20 Minutes

India is a land full of festivals and rich culture. Every festival in India is celebrated with much enthusiasm, special food, and drinks. No festival is complete without delicious food and drinks. The nation is gearing up to celebrate Maha Shivratri which is majorly celebrated by Hindus across India to honour Lord Shiva. This year, the festival will be celebrated on March 11. The day is usually celebrated by worshipping Lord Shiva, shivling, fasting, and praying. Devotees across the nation chant mantras to appease the god. Water, milk, curd, bel leaves, and honey are poured over the Shivling during the pooja.

On this day, devotees abstain from eating pulses and cereals and binge on fruits and drinks. Although, most observe the fast without consuming water throughout the day. Devotees stay up all night and ring in the celebrations by singing devotional songs and chanting mantras. Traditionally, devotees offer their obeisance to the Shivalingum by offering milk, bel leaves, water, fruits, and they also add bhaang or hemp. It is believed that Lord Shiva smoked hemp, and this is why devotees offer bhang on this holy day.

Here is how you can make bhaang-thandai for Maha Shivratri:

Ingredients:

-1/4 cup of sugar

-4 and 1/2 cups of boiled and cooled milk

-1/4 cup of crushed almonds

-1 tablespoon of fennel seeds

-1 tablespoon of poppy seeds

-1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

-1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder

-2 teaspoons of bhang

-Few strands of saffron

Method:

-Take milk in a big bowl and add cardamom powder and sugar to it.

-Add fennel seeds, poppy seeds, and almonds to the milk.

-Mix the milk mixture for about five minutes and keep it in the fridge for about two hours.

-After two hours, take out the milk and strain it using a sieve to separate the spices.

-Then, add saffron strands, pepper powder, and the bhang. Mix well.

-Pour it into glasses and offer it to Shiva before you serve it to others.