Intrigued by that turmeric latte at your favorite Starbucks? Why not try your hands at the original thing? Originating from the roots of India, turmeric milk aka golden milk is an ancient Ayurvedic drink that is boldly spiced and comforting, perfect for a cold winter night or when you’re feeling a bit under the weather.
And guess what? There's actually a lot more to this infamous drink than meets the eye. Scroll down and keep reading to find out.
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Ingredients For the Recipe
You’ll need a very short and simple list of ingredients to make turmeric milk.
- Milk: 1 cup
- Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
- Cardamom: 1
- Clove: 1
- Ginger (mashed): 1 inch
- Black pepper powder: A pinch
- Honey/Jaggery: As per taste (optional)
- Vanilla extract: 3-4 drops (Optional)
- Almonds (sliver): For garnish
Kitchen Tools Needed
How to Make the Turmeric Milk
Once you have all your ingredients ready, here’s the step-by-step process of making the milk.
Take a deep-bottomed vessel like a saucepan and bring the milk to a boil.
Add all the ingredients into the milk and let the mixture simmer for 45 seconds to 1 minute.
Strain the milk and serve it hot in a glass.
You can garnish with slivered almonds.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t already know, turmeric, in its various forms, is a superfood. It packs in many health benefits associated with its consumption, and when added to your milk (along with the other species on the ingredients list), it can be one of the healthiest things you could be putting in your body.
It can give your body a good dose of antioxidants which can fight free radicals and reduce chronic inflammation.
The presence of healing spices makes this drink one of the best drinks you could have when you’re down with a cold and cough.
Sipping on a cup of warm turmeric milk is an excellent way to put an end to your tiring day. The unique blend of spices in this drink will calm you down naturally and even promote a good night’s sleep.
Turmeric milk is also an excellent natural source of iron, manganese, and healthy fats and is a drink that promotes energy.
The curcumin content in this golden milk has also been linked to better brain and heart function.
If you’re vegan or allergic to dairy, you might be wondering if it is possible to replicate the same recipe with any other non-dairy milk. Well, it turns out, yes! You can use almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, and even oat milk for this recipe. 
Love the health benefits of the milk, but don’t really like the earthiness of turmeric? You can reduce the amount of turmeric you are adding in, and sneak a couple of strands of saffron into the milk while it is still on the heat.
Saffron is an excellent spice that you absolutely need to have in your pantry. It might be a bit expensive, but it offers an excellent flavor and texture in just a teeny amount.
You can also add nutmeg or cinnamon into the mix- both of them work wonderfully with all the other ingredients of the recipe.
Yes! That’s actually one of the best things about this recipe! You can make your golden milk in advance and refrigerate it for upto 5 days. Remember to use a clean jar or container to store the turmeric milk and reheat it before you consume it.
There are many ways you can benefit from this immunity-boosting drink. Apart from the obvious, turmeric milk can also help reduce joint pain, which is why, it is perfect to enjoy when you’re feeling the winter blues, or are just experiencing fatigue.
Turmeric contains a compound known as curcumin, which has been found effective against depression and mood disorders. Sip on the turmeric milk when you’re feeling blue, and you’ll be surprised at how much better you start feeling afterward.
That’s not all-the combination of turmeric, ginger, and other spices are great for the digestive system too, and have been found to promote gut health!
Tips to Make the Turmeric Milk
Think the recipe is easy enough to tackle? Wait up! Keep these additional tips and hacks in mind to make sure you nail the recipe.
- The earthiness of turmeric milk is an acquired taste. If you’re not too sure if your taste buds will be willing to accept it, you can always add a little more sweetener into the mix.
- To make the milk more energy-dense and nutritious, you can also add a teaspoon of cold-pressed coconut oil to it.
- Remember that if you are using honey as a sweetener, add it towards the end, right before you serve the milk. Adding honey into the mixture while the milk is still hot isn’t recommended, and is believed to be toxic.
- If you can, try to get your hands on fresh turmeric as opposed to turmeric powder- it is much healthier. If you can’t, stick to using organic turmeric powder.
- Use full-fat milk for this recipe for the best results. The flavor and texture you’ll get with using a full-fat variety are unbeatable.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
The best part about this immunity-boosting drink is the fact that you don’t need to put in a lot of effort when it comes to serving it. You can enjoy it as is, or team it up with any of your favorite comfort foods and you’re good to go.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can sprinkle some more chopped nuts on the top right before you serve.
Loved how flavorful and delicious this drink was? On the hunt for some more interesting and fun drinks that you can try recreating? You might want to give these a shot.
- Mango Lassi: Indian Yogurt Drink
- Authentic Mexican Horchata (Rice & Almond Drink)
- Russian Cranberry Drink - Mors
Turmeric Milk: Indian Immunity Booster
Ingredients
- 1 cup Milk
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 pc Cardamom
- 1 pc Clove
- 1 inch Ginger (mashed)
- 1 pinch Black pepper powder
- 1 tsp Honey/Jaggery As per taste (optional)
- 4 drops Vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 tsp Almonds (sliver) For garnish
Instructions
- Take a deep bottomed vessel like a sauce pan and bring the milk to a boil.1 cup Milk
- Add all the ingredients into the milk and let the mixture simmer for 45 seconds to 1 minute.¼ tsp Turmeric powder, 1 pc Cardamom, 1 pc Clove, 1 inch Ginger, 1 pinch Black pepper powder, 1 tsp Honey/Jaggery, 4 drops Vanilla extract
- Strain the milk and serve hot in aglass.
- You can garnish with sliveredalmonds.1 tsp Almonds
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