Authentic Turmeric Milk Tea – Golden Milk | Haldi ka Doodh
Turmeric Milk (haldi ka doodh) is an ancient Ayurvedic drink that’s known for its anti-inflammatory properties. This quick and easy recipe is optimized for absorption, includes several warming spices and tastes perfectly sweet, rich, yet light and comforting.
“So delicious—I’m sometimes super lazy and make it with commercial tea bags of golden milk blend, but your recipe is 1000x better, and I always regret not taking the extra few seconds to make a batch of the real deal. Making some again later this week, and can’t wait!”
Kathryn
I have a blog named using the words ‘tea’ and ‘turmeric’… a blog that focuses on the nutritional benefits of traditional recipes… a blog that celebrates the wisdom of South Asian cooking techniques.
Let’s do this!
All About Turmeric
I’m assuming you’ve heard of turmeric (since, you know, it’s in your URL). And if you haven’t, read on as I try to enunciate my love for it.
Chances are, if you are near me and have the sniffles or a sore throat, I’ll offer you turmeric milk. If you feel joint pain, I’ll slightly force you to drink turmeric milk. If you’re feeling kind of down with the blues, you guessed it – turmeric milk! (It’s a mood enhancer.) I truly, wholeheartedly, passionately believe in its benefits. Heck, it’s the first thing I drank after my baby entered the world.
Let me convince you with a few facts (since you shouldn’t believe random people on the internet):
- Turmeric has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine as well as Traditional Chinese medicine.
- In one of the most comprehensive summaries of turmeric health benefits, ethnobotanist Dr. James Duke reviewed 700 studies and concluded that turmeric outperforms many pharmaceuticals to reduce inflammation and support brain and joint health.
- The National Institutes of Health PubMed database, one of the top directories for medical research, listed nearly 5000 studies and articles on turmeric or curcumin (and that’s in January of 2015).
- Numerous studies have linked turmeric with a vast amount of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
And I’m just touching the tip of the iceberg here!
How To Boost Turmeric’s Properties In Turmeric Milk
With this recipe, you’re packing on the healing properties of all the additional spices as well. The black pepper actually enhances the absorption of the turmeric. Plus, turmeric is better absorbed with a fat. For example, turmeric is often used in curries, where there’s always a fat element. This is why I’ve included the option to use coconut oil or ghee.
With all this talk about its medicinal properties, I don’t want to undermine that this drink is truly delicious! The warming spices, the full-bodied, earthy taste, and the soothing aroma…as cliche as it sounds, it’s not just a drink, it’s an experience. So slow down, relax, and focus on how you’re nourishing your body while enjoying a unique and flavorful drink. W.I.N.
Lastly, I know this recipe has a long list of spices. Feel free to omit the ones you don’t have on hand. Keep it as basic or supercharged as you’d like. And if you try it, do share with me in the comments below and/or tag me on Instagram.
More hot drink recipes:
Authentic Pakistani Chai
20-Minute Kashmiri Chai Recipe (Pink Tea)
Authentic Turmeric Milk Tea – Golden Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk, almond, soy or coconut also work well though milk is traditionally used
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4-1/2 tsp turmeric powder*
- 1 thin slice fresh ginger**, optional
- 1 whole green cardamom, slightly broken
- 1 clove
- 1/2 inch piece cinnamon stick
- 2-3 black peppercorns
- 1 leaf of a star anise
- 1/4 vanilla bean (scraped) or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, optional
- 1/4 tsp coconut oil or ghee, optional
- 1 tsp honey, jaggery (gud), or sweetener of choice
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring all of the ingredients except coconut oil/ghee and sweetener to a simmer.
- Stir well and lower the heat to a low or low-medium (you want it to simmer but not boil). Cover with the lid ajar and allow the milk to simmer for 5 minutes or more depending on how strong you want the flavor of the spices.
- Turn off the heat and strain into your cup. Add coconut oil/ghee (if using) as well as your sweetener. Delight in the warmth and comfort of therapeutic golden milk.
Notes
32 Comments on “Authentic Turmeric Milk Tea – Golden Milk | Haldi ka Doodh”
Can I make golden milk with 1% milk and still benefit from it?
Thank you.
Yes, sure, Patty! You can use other milks too. Sorry for the delay in response!
I made this last night and I can see why it is a “comfort food”! While it was simmering the smell was incredible and drinking it, well, just felt good – like being home (although I’m not Indian and have never been to India) it still just had a “homey” feel to it. The flavors and smells did remind me of some of the food I had in Malaysia which has a lot of Indian influence in its food. I had to substitute all powdered ingredients, but, this recipe was fantastic (I’m sure it’s much better with fresh ingredients!) – much better than others I found, thank you for posting it!
What a wonderful comment to read, Tommy. I’m sure it’s amazing with powdered spices too. Thank you so much for sharing!
Great idea to add ginger and cinnamon.
Thank you, Amber!
Hello, and thank you for this recipe! I do have a question: I realize that your recipe is very traditional & authentic, but for expediency’s sake, I’d like to make it with powdered spices instead. If I do that, is it necessary to simmer the milk? Can I just bring it to a near-boil, or is there a health benefit to simmering the milk for several minutes? I assumed the simmering is to adequately infuse the whole spices with the milk. Thank you for your time in responding!
Hi Virginia! Sorry for the delay in responding. Yes – you may use powdered. We often make it without any spices so don’t feel like you absolutely need to use them. The important thing is to simmer the turmeric in the milk so it’s not raw while you’re drinking it. So more than the spices, it’s essential that the milk and turmeric simmer together. Hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions!
Can you make up a large batch at one time; refrigerate and then just reheat a cup a day?
Hmm I haven’t tried that but I think it should work for a day or two before losing freshness. Just be sure to stir before reheating since the turmeric will probably settle to the bottom.
What is considered a leaf of star anise? Is it one of the points of the dried fruit? Thank you.
Hi Janelle, I meant just a small edge of the star or a broken piece. The exact size isn’t important, but I think a large star anise could be overpowering for some.