After workout, if you want to feel invigorated, ‘Badam Milk’ is the best protein-packed drink to sip. It energizes and rejuvenates the body.
If kids in your family, are fussy about food and often refuse to have milk, then this ‘recipe for badam milk’ is a must try.
Believe me, they will crave for saffron milk thereafter. This badam milk is so delicious, creamy and flavorful that anyone will just love it.
This traditional drink is made using milk, almonds, pista, sugar, cardamom, fennel and of course saffron. It can be further seasoned with saffron and cardamom powder (optional though). This flavorful drink is customizable and easy to make, so don’t bother even if you don’t have listed ingredients. It can be made just by using Almonds, Sugar and milk.
This Indian saffron milk is extremely nutritious and can give instant energy to the body. It can be served alongside breakfast or at night just before going to bed. Traditionally, this drink is served during weddings, festivals or some special occasions.
If you don’t have time to make this recipe, you can get readymade kesar badam powder from your nearest supermarket. There will be a significant difference in taste but it will suffice your purpose. But I won’t recommend the readymade badam milk powder until and unless you really crave for it and have no time to prepare at home.
This traditional Indian beverage is quite famous and has been consumed for ages. It’s widely used across regions in different variations. It’s called as ‘Badam doodh’ in north India while ‘Badam Paal’ in southern part of India.
This dish is also used as Ayurvedic drink because it is packed with Protein and Calcium. It is therefore a great drink for building immunity, strengthen bone health and improving eye-sight.
Benefits of Badam Milk
- As I mentioned earlier, this drink is packed with Protein and calcium, thus is extremely nutritious.
- Regular consumption of this milk helps in easing constipation and in dealing with other digestive issues.
- It promotes bone health and helps building muscles.
- It’s an amazing drink if you caught cold.
- If one consumes a cup of warm badam milk just before bed time, it promotes good sleep.
- It can also be used for weight gain in kids.
Ingredients : Required to make Badam Milk
Milk – 1/2 litre
Almonds – 15-20
Sugar – 2 tbsp
Pistachios – 10-12
Saffron – 8-10 strands
Fennel seeds
Cardamom
Recipe for Badam Milk : How to make Badam Milk – Steps
Crush pistachios and almonds using pestle and mortar. Remember not to crush it to the powder. I recommend to keep it little coarse so that you can bite through while drinking saffron milk.
Crush fennel seeds, cardamom and Sugar using pestle and mortar.
Soak a few almonds (6-7) in water for couple of hours. Would be better to soak in hot water if you want to make the dish quickly.
Peel the skin off and add them to a blender along with 1/4 cup of milk. Blend to a smooth paste.
Heat milk in a weighty base pan over low/medium flame till the point of boiling. Stir occasionally while heating to make sure nothing sticks at the bottom of the pan.
Add the soaked saffron to milk and stir well.
Add the almond paste to the boiled milk and stir frequently until mixed well. Simmer the badam milk for 10 minutes over low flame, stir intermittently to avoid burning.
Add little bit of crushed pistachios and almonds to the milk. Simmer the badam milk for another 5 minutes.
Turn off the stove and add crushed fennel, cardamom and sugar. Mix well.
Garnish with almond and pistachio slivers. Serve it hot or chilled.
How to Serve Kesar Badam Milk?
This tasty drink can be served hot in winter season while chilled in summers. Moreover, as I explained earlier, this drink is purely customizable so the number of ingredients may differ. Feel free to include or exclude ingredients as per your need.
If serving hot, then empty the milk into serving glasses and garnish with almond and pistachio slivers. You can optionally sprinkle cardamom powder on the top before serving.
If serving chilled, then cover the pan with a tight-fitting top and let it cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate the milk for 2-3 hours, garnish with almond and pistachio slivers and then serve chilled.
You can also serve kesar badam milk with other dishes such as chole bhature, biryani or aalo gobi with puri.
Pro tip: Serve this drink in clay pot for better aroma and taste
Kesar Badam Milk
Ingredients
- ½ lit Milk
- 15-20 pieces Almonds
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 10-12 pieces Pistachios
- Fennel seeds
- 8-10 strands Saffron
- 3-4 pieces Cardamom
Instructions
- Crush pistachios and almonds using pestle and mortar. Remember not to crush it to the powder. I recommend to keep it little coarse so that you can bite through while drinking saffron milk.
- Crush fennel seeds, cardamom and Sugar using pestle and mortar.
- Soak a few almonds (6-7) in water for couple of hours. Would be better to soak in hot water if you want to make the dish quickly.
- Peel the skin off and add them to a blender along with 1/4 cup of milk. Blend to a smooth paste.
- Heat milk in a weighty base pan over low/medium flame till the point of boiling. Stir occasionally while heating to make sure nothing sticks at the bottom of the pan.
- Add the soaked saffron to milk and stir well.
- Add the almond paste to the boiled milk and stir frequently until mixed well. Simmer the badam milk for 10 minutes over low flame, stir intermittently to avoid burning.
- Add little bit of crushed pistachios and almonds to the milk. Simmer the badam milk for another 5 minutes.
- Turn off the stove and add crushed fennel, cardamom and sugar. Mix well.
- Garnish with almond and pistachio slivers. Serve it hot or chilled.
How can I make this drink Vegan?
In order to make this drink vegan, you would need to exclude milk which is one of the main ingredients. Hence, it’s important to give this drink a similar texture which can be achieved by adding more almonds and replacing milk with water.
You can optionally use plant-based milk or oats milk.
Looking for other vegan drink, try Pomegranate Juice!!
Important points to note
If you want your saffron milk to be thick, soak the almonds for roughly about 30-40 minutes and then mix with 1/4 cup of milk. Blend it to smooth paste which afterwards can be added in boiled milk to give it a good consistency.
You may use Jaggery instead of sugar as sweetener if you wish.
Always crush the pistachio and almonds using mortar and pestle to give it little coarse texture. Don’t grind it to a fine consistency.
Do use cardamom and fennel as they infuse aroma and flavors to the drink.
Please check out below recipes too!!
Storage Instruction
I won’t recommend to freeze the badam milk as it may taste differently once frozen. You may store the kesar badam milk in a closed container and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.
FAQ
Can I drink badam milk every day?
This drink is packed with protein and calcium thus good to drink every day in limited quantity.
Is Kesar Badam Milk Good For Health?
This drink is loaded with protein and calcium. It promotes bone health and helps building muscles. This also improves digestive health and promotes good sleep.
How to make saffron milk Indian style?
Please see instructions (how to make badam milk).
General QnA
Is it necessary to soak almonds?
I would say, its important but not necessary! If you want a smooth paste, which can further give a nice consistency to your kesar milk, soak it overnight or in hot water for 20-30 min. It would be then easier for you to peel the skin off.
Do I need to peel off the skin of almonds?
I prefer to keep the skin on when I crush it using mortar and pestle to get a little coarse texture. You may also grind it to fine powder with skin on. But be mindful of peeling the skin off when making a smooth paste.
