I think I can say that most South Asians have grown up with some form of golden milk, aka Haldi Doodh. It was an evening staple in my childhood, especially during winter and spring nights. Not only does it taste amazing it’s actually really good for you. It has been an Ayurvedic staple for centuries and is known for its anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties. There are many variations of golden milk as there is for masala chai, this one happens to be the one that was passed down in my family and that I still make to this day for myself and my kiddos. I know I can say with full confidence that my Ajima (maternal grandmother) is smiling somewhere in the cosmos. 

How Food Is Medicine

* Whoa! This is a very short list of all the amazing healing properties of these amazing spices. Please know that there are too many benefits of each spice and they all deserve their own post, I wanted to give you some of the benefits so you get an idea of what is going on when you consume it. 

Ready to give this golden tradition a try?

Here is how to make it:

• 1 TSP ghee or coconut oil 
• ½ TSP – 1.5 TSP turmeric powder (can work your way up)
• 1 pinch black pepper (black pepper helps with absorbing the turmeric so don’t skip this)
• ½ cinnamon stick (or ⅛ TSP cinnamon powder)
• 2 cardamom pods (slightly crushed) or ⅛ TSP cardamom powder (optional)
• Small pinch of ginger powder (optional)
• 1 cup of milk (cows milk or any plant-based / nut milk is fine. To lighten it up you can use ½ cup of milk and ½ cup of water, that’s how I like it).
• Sweetener (maple syrup, honey, jaggery, date – also optional but I highly recommend, add according to your taste profile)

1. Place the ghee (or coconut oil) in a saucepan and warm over low heat
2. Add all the spices to the ghee and allow them to gently warm up (15-30 seconds). This helps release the oils and medicinal properties of the spices into the healthy fat which can then be absorbed deeper into the body.
3. Add in the milk and bring to a simmer, let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Strain into a mug
5. Add your sweetener of choice, (if using honey, add after the milk mixture has cooled down a bit, enough to where you can touch the milk with your finger comfortably. When honey is heated it is difficult to digest and produces toxins in the body.)
6. Enjoy this nourishing cup of golden milk

I hope you enjoy this delicious and nourishing drink as much as my kiddos and I do. xo 😉