Here’s How to Make Bhang: The Cannabis Drink Beloved In Hindu Culture

If you’ve heard of Holi—the Hindu festival where people gather in the streets to celebrate with technicolored throwing powder and cannabis smoothies—you’ve likely thought to yourself: where can I get my hands on some Bhang Lassi?

Bhang Lassi is a cannabis drink resembling a smoothie or milkshake that’s an integral part of celebrating Holi. Although cannabis is illegal in all of the countries that celebrate Holi, like India, most make some sort of exception for Bhang during the festivities. Luckily, you don’t need to travel further than your local grocery store to pick up the necessary ingredients to make your very own Bhang. Just follow these simple steps and it can be all yours!

What You Need

• 2 Cups of warm water
• 1/2 Ounce to 1 Ounce of Cannabis Leaves and Flower.
• 3.5 cups of milk
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of almonds
• 1/8 Tsp of Cardamom
• 1/4 Tsp of Ginger powder
• 1 Tsp of Rose Water
• Blender

Instructions

1. Fill a large mixing glass with two cups of warm water. It’s not important what type of glass you use, so long as it’s large enough to easily fit the two cups of water while leaving ample room to add other ingredients.

2. Add your cannabis leaves and/or flower into the glass of warm water. The amount of cannabis you use here should depend on which part of the plant you’re using. If you’re using virtually all cannabis leaves, which carry much less THC than flower, then you can add up to 1 ounce of cannabis leaves. If you’re using mostly cannabis flower, however, you should use less because cannabis flower carries significantly more THC and is therefore much more potent. Therefore, if you’re using a significant amount of cannabis flower, you should use only up to 1/2 ounce of cannabis flower.

3. Let the cannabis and water mixture sit in the mixing glass for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Pour the cannabis and water mixture into your blender, and blend it all together until there are no big chunks left. You should be left with a smooth, green liquid.

5. Add your 4 cups of milk, 1 cup of sugar, 1.5 tsp of almonds, 1/8 tsp of cardamom, 1/4 tsp of ginger powder, and 1 tsp of rose water into the blender. Blend everything together until there are no big chunks left, and once again, you’re left with a smooth, drinkable liquid.

6. You’re virtually finished your bhang! Pour the contents of your blender out into a drinking glass, and using a spoon, mix everything together again.

7. Put your glass of bhang in the freezer, or refrigerator, until it’s thoroughly chilled. Once your bang is chilled, take it out of the freezer/refrigerator, and give it one last, thorough mix with a spoon. Then, take the remaining .5 tsp of almonds and crush them up. Sprinkle the crushed almonds over the top of your bhang as a garnish.

8. Drink, and enjoy!