Indian Haldi Doodh: Warm Golden Milk with Turmeric, Ginger, Cinnamon and Honey

Warm the ghee in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the turmeric and black pepper and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant; blooming the spice in fat mellows its raw, earthy edge.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk (or unsweetened oat or almond milk)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric (or a 1-inch piece of fresh turmeric, grated)
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ghee or coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon honey or grated jaggery, or to taste
• Small pinch of saffron threads (optional)
• Ground cinnamon or nutmeg, for dusting

Instructions

1. Warm the ghee in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the turmeric and black pepper and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant; blooming the spice in fat mellows its raw, earthy edge.
2. Add the ginger, cinnamon stick and crushed cardamom and stir for 15 seconds more.
3. Pour in the milk and whisk well. Raise the heat to medium and bring it just to a bare simmer, with small bubbles around the edge. Watch closely so it does not boil over.
4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, whisking now and then, until the milk is a deep gold and slightly reduced. Add the saffron for the last 2 minutes if using.
5. Take the pan off the heat, cover, and let it steep for 2 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into two mugs.
6. Stir in the honey once the milk has cooled to a comfortable sipping heat, or stir in jaggery while it is still hot.
7. For a frothy top, pour the milk back and forth between the pan and a mug a few times, or whisk briskly. Dust with cinnamon or nutmeg and serve hot.
8. Haldi doodh, literally turmeric milk, is the bedtime drink generations of Indian grandmothers have handed to anyone with a sniffle or a long day behind them. Cafes around the world now sell it as golden milk or a turmeric latte, but the homemade version, simmered slowly with whole spices and a pinch of black pepper, is still the most comforting cup for a cold autumn night.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 215 kcal
• Protein: 8g
• Fat: 11g
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 20g
• Sodium: 105mg