Bhang is an edible preparation of cannabis with roots in the Indian subcontinent and a traditional component of Ayurvedic medicine. It’s frequently enjoyed as a celebratory beverage during Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, and other holidays. Fresh, or sometimes dried, cannabis leaves and flowers are blended with liquid and various spices, nuts, and seeds (think cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, fennel, almonds, pumpkin seeds, to name a few) for a drink that is refreshing, herbal, earthy, and slightly spicy, with a hint of sweetness. It may also have a noticeably bitter or astringent scent, which is normal for cannabis-infused products.
You’ll find a variety of cannabis drinks at bhang shops across India, like bhang lassi (thickened with yogurt) and bhang goli (made with just cannabis and water). This recipe most closely resembles bhang thandai, a milky, lightly sweetened version flavored with aromatic rose water, cardamom, and fennel seed.
Since fresh cannabis plants aren’t widely accessible in the United States, BA associate food editor Rachel Gurjar opts to use dried plants here, which come in plenty of unique flavors. “The ones I used for developing this recipe smelled of fruity bananas and pair nicely with the warm spices,” Rachel writes.
Toasting the dried cannabis transforms the inactive cannabinoids (THCA and CBDA) into their active counterparts (THC and CBD). Dosing also plays a big part in the experience of ingesting products that contain THC or tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical component responsible for cannabis’s psychoactive effect. But don’t worry: We’ve done the math for you. About ¼ cup bhang equals about 13 mg THC when using cannabis with a 20% THC concentration (note: Though dispensaries should list the THC percentage for their products, it can vary from roughly 10%–30%, depending on the strain). For a seasoned edible consumer, this would be considered a moderate dose. First timers may want to consider using half the amount of cannabis (0.25 g instead of 0.5 g) in this recipe, or portioning the drink’s serving size in half.
Serve with Thandai Shortbread Cookies and more of our favorite Holi recipes.
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What you’ll need
Vitamix Blender
$350 $330 At Amazon
Small Saucepan
$155 At Amazon
Parchment Paper
$3 At Amazon
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$30 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes (plus cooling time)
Ingredients
2
2
1
1
½
½
¼
¼
8
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 225°. Spread 0.5 g dried cannabis in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until fragrant and lightly toasted, 14–16 minutes.
Step 2
Transfer cannabis leaves to a blender and add 1 cup whole milk, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. raw almonds, 1 tsp. rose water, ½ tsp. fennel seeds, ½ tsp. ground cardamom, ¼ tsp. ground turmeric, ¼ tsp. kosher salt, and 8 black peppercorns. Blend until frothy and smooth, about 30 seconds. Add remaining 1 cup whole milk and blend again until sugar is dissolved, about 30 seconds.
Step 3
Transfer mixture to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat, about 3 minutes. Let cool.
Step 4
Divide among 8 small glasses filled with ice; top with dried rose petals.
Leave a Review
Reviews (3)
Back to TopIf there are two reviews why cant i read them
Anonymous
3/7/2023
Great recipe, quick, easy and great flavors. I did not boil the mixture, I instead used a candy thermometer and heated the milk to about 185F for 20 minutes before allowing to cool. And I did toast the cannabis for 220F for 20 minutes. Four of us enjoyed this, and everyone was pleased with the taste. I will make this again.
Shiva
New York, NY
3/9/2023
This seems incredibly irresponsible. Such a cavalier attitude to the use if cannabis is just shocking. There was no warning of the dangers in such drug use. Psychiatric hospitals are full of people who thought cannabis use was harmless, only to be plagued by anxiety, paranoia and other serious mental health problems. Thandai is delicious without the dangerous addition of cannabis. To encourage this is almost as mind boggling as the drug itself. I have a close friend from Uttar Pradesh who tried this Bhang and was unwell for three days. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Anonymous
12/6/2023
Lol. The name of the drink already implies it's an edible and there's a limp wristed fairy moron that watched Reefer Madness too many times non ironically. They're shaming someone for sharing an edible recipe that's literally named what it's named because it has herb in it. This clown saying mental hospitals are full of people because of weed. No, they're not. They're in there because of meth, opiates, pills, schizophrenia and bipolar. The last two have symptoms that can be alleviated by weed for some people. Probably not that moron. Can't believe they shamed you in a review, but said it was good.... I hate this world
Fk The Guy Below Me
1/9/2024