Indian

Kesar Badam Milk

Kesar badam milk simmers peeled almonds, saffron, cardamom, and milk into a creamy festive North Indian drink.

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Kesar Badam Milk

2 hr 25 mintotal

25 min hands-on2 hr hands-off

Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
None

Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Includes 2 hours of almond soaking time before peeling, grinding, and simmering with milk.

Method

  1. Peel the soaked almonds. Keep a few almonds aside and chop them thinly for garnishing later.

  2. Place the remaining peeled almonds in a small blender jar along with a little milk. Blend into a smooth, slightly coarse paste.

  3. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the rest of the milk on a medium flame.

  4. As it begins to warm up, add the generous pinch of saffron strands and stir.

  5. Bring the milk to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes until the color turns a beautiful pale yellow.

    5 min

  6. Add the prepared almond paste and stir well so it blends evenly into the milk.

  7. Simmer for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the milk doesn't catch at the bottom.

    4–5 min

  8. Add sugar and cardamom powder. Stir for 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely.

    2 min

  9. Turn off the heat. Pour into cups or glasses.

  10. Garnish with the reserved chopped almonds, slivered pistachios, and a few extra saffron strands.

  11. Serve piping hot during winters, or let it chill in the fridge to serve as a cold summer drink.

How to tell it's done

Thick, creamy, highly aromatic, and pale yellow, interspersed with tiny, soft bits of ground almonds.

Nutrition

Per serving, from 2 servings.

373kcal

Where the calories come from

  • Protein14.2 g15%
  • Carbohydrate35.5 g37%
  • Fat20.6 g48%
Sugars
32.1 g
Saturated fat
6.6 g
Fibre
2.8 g
Sodium
132 mg
Potassium
579 mg
Calcium
399 mg
Iron
1 mg

Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.

Getting it right

Tip

Do not grind the almonds into a watery liquid; a very slight texture gives the milk a traditional almond bite.

What to serve it with

A traditional welcoming drink at Indian weddings. Delicious both hot or completely chilled.