Dear readers, this past week has been rough in a few ways. I was visited by a much-dreaded, inevitable and unwelcome guest: Sickness. One moment, I was feeling on top of my world; then next moment, I felt a dull but distinct pain in my throat.
That night, sleep became mostly unattainable since every time I gulped involuntarily, my throat would light up like a fire under a hot-air balloon. I took several cough drops to help soothe the fire but to no avail. Things slowly started to go downhill from there. A second night of fitful sleep was followed by more pain in the throat. A low-grade fever, dull headaches and fatigue took turns to visit and depart my body.
By Day 3, I had to force myself to wake up to feed and take care of my dog. I stopped attending my favorite early morning meditation and pranayama (mindful breathing) classes because I had no energy to rouse myself at 6:30 am. Besides taking care of my furry companion which included walking and feeding him, I felt little incentive to partake in much else. Even watching shows was causing my eyes to smart.
Day 4 came, and I started to develop a hacking cough. Friends recommended brandy and raw honey. They promised a Nirvana sleep. Alas, that didn’t do the trick either. As I stared at my useless cough drops and cough expectorant, a light bulb went off in my head. An old memory came up of my mother giving me a hot glass of yellow milk when I would cough as a child. The golden milk smelled and tasted delicious. I remember the feeling of being soothed and calmed, as the warm liquid went down my throat.
Golden Turmeric Milk
Off I went into my kitchen to make this ancient Ayurvedic brew. Mom makes Golden Turmeric Milk (or Haldi Milk) with cow or water buffalo milk. Nowadays, I don’t tolerate dairy all too well, so I opted to go plant based.
I soaked a handful of raw almonds for a few hours and in a jiffy, I had the most deliciously frothing Almond Milk on hand. I poured a cupful of full fat coconut milk, a cup of almond milk, a cup of water into a vessel and set it on low heat. The rest of the spices were regular pantry items which I always have on hand.
Let’s talk about how you can create this magic potion in your own kitchen. And guess what – this golden turmeric milk is so delicious that you don’t even have to be sick to drink it!
Milk Base
You can use any kind of milk for this golden turmeric milk recipe. I love plant-based over the traditional dairy milk. A few options that you can choose from are coconut milk (I like full fat), nut milks like almond milk, cashew milk, grain milks like rice milk, oat milk, soy milk etc. Remember that some milks are lighter and/or less thicker than others, so adjust your water in this recipe accordingly.
Turmeric Powder & Black Pepper
This is the star of the show, so to speak. There’s nary an Indian pantry that will ever run out of this spice. It is brightly colorful and has a gently pungent aroma to it. Anything it touches will turn to gold (well, golden yellow). There is a lot of research being done on turmeric in the last few years, and lots of wonderful benefits are now emerging for scientists. Of course, our ancestors needed no research on turmeric to know its anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, antidepressant and other healing properties. Read all about this wonderful spice on our blog Turmeric…the Golden Herb. I even give turmeric to my arthritic dog!
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- Turmeric Bloom
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- Harvesting Turmeric
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- Turmeric Rhizomes
Last year, I grew turmeric in my backyard. The bounty was amazing. I used the turmeric roots in salads, pickles and smoothies (sadly, did not blog the recipes). The turmeric flower is from a fellow gardener Shiby’s yard. My 2022 crop is still in the ground, so I had to resort to using turmeric powder. For this Golden Turmeric Milk recipe, you can use turmeric powder or the fresh root. If using the fresh root, make sure you clean it well (use a toothbrush to get all the dirt off) and grate it into the milk. You will need to use a fine-meshed sieve to filter out the pulp.
Why black pepper, you may ask. This is because the curcumin in turmeric becomes more bio-available to the body when combined with black pepper. You can read up all about this and other healthy kitchen hacks in my blog Culinary Hacks for Better Health. As with everything else, some folks may have an adverse reaction to curcumin, so don’t overdo it.
Ginger
Yet another anti-inflammatory powerhouse, ginger is also anti-nauseous. It is actually a great addition to your daily smoothies or into your curries and stir frys. For this recipe, I have used ginger powder. If you don’t have ginger powder, use freshly grated ginger and then use a fine meshed sieve to remove the pulp from the golden turmeric milk before drinking it.
Cinnamon
This wonderful bark is quite popular all over the world. You may most likely be using the traditional cinnamon – called Cassia Cinnamon. I prefer to use Ceylon Cinnamon, also called Verum Cinnamon. There are several reasons why I do. For one, it is very easy to break and powder. For another, it is sweet tasting, with a wonderful aroma. It is more delicate and less pungent, so to speak. And last but not the least, is the health angle: Ceylon cinnamon lowers your risk of liver damage, if you use large quantities of it.
Saffron
The spice that is even more expensive than its weight in gold, you really don’t need to use too much of this spice to liven up your drink. Saffron is antioxidant and is a mood booster. When you are throat is hoarse or your nose is runny, this delicate spice will certainly make you feel better.
Vegan Golden Turmeric Milk
Healing Ayurvedic Recipes
For truly healing foods, look no further than to farmacology (vs. pharmacology). Fresh, in season fruits and vegetables are what you need to have when your day is not at its chirpiest best, so to speak. While all recipes on this website are super healthy, here are a few recommendations to pep you up:
- Pepper Rasam
- Vegetable Multigrain Khichdi
- Cauliflower ‘Rice’ Stir Fry
- Rainbow Chard Red Lentil Stew
- Yellow Mung Detox Soup
- Tomato Soup with Seasoning
- Beets (Root & Greens) Curry
- Kala Chana & Spinach Curry
- White Wine Infused Carrot Ginger Soup
- Methi (Fenugreek Leaves) Dal
- Allam Pachadi: Zesty Ginger Chutney
Filled with a chockablock of healthy fats in coconut and almond milks, anti-inflammatory and healing properties in turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon and ginger, and the wonderful benefits saffron, this drink is soothing to the throat, and a great addition to your bedtime routine, or even to entertain guests on a chilly day.
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Vegan Golden Turmeric Milk
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 Cup Almond Milk - DIY or store bought; For nut allergies, substitute with oat/soy/rice milk
- 1.25 Cup Coconut Milk - Full fat
- 1.5 Cup Filtered water
- 1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder - Or read Notes if using fresh
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper - Freshly ground
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ginger - Powder; Or read Notes if using fresh
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon - Powder. Preferably Ceylon cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Jaggery - Or sweetener of choice like maple/date syrup
- 1/8 Teaspoon Saffron
Instructions
- In a thick bottomed pan, add coconut milk, water and almond milk. Heat on a low flame for 5 minutes.
- Add turmeric powder, black pepper powder, coconut oil, cinnamon powder, ginger powder and jaggery. You can also use freshly grated turmeric/ginger roots, and cinnamon bark pieces. Just remember to filter the turmeric milk through a fine-mesh sieve before drinking.
- Give it all a stir and increase the heat to medium.
- As the turmeric and spice powders start to blend in, the milk will turn golden yellow.
- Allow the golden milk to heat up, but don't allow it to boil. Taste the milk and adjust spices and sweetner to your taste. It should taste warm, inviting, slightly spicy with a gentle hint of sweetness.
- Ladle this golden goodness into 4 cups. Sprinkle a few saffron strands on each. Drink hot and allow the golden glow to permeate through your entire body!
Notes
- This golden turmeric milk tastes best when it is fresh. However, you can refrigerate up to 2-3 days.
- You can use dairy milk or other plant-based milks like oat milk, cashew milk, soy milk or rice milk. These milks may not be as thick as coconut milk, so adjust accordingly.
- You can also add a small pinch of freshly ground cardamom just before you turn off the heat.
- If you are using fresh ginger and/or fresh turmeric roots, grate them into the golden milk. Before consuming, use a fine-mesh sieve to filter the strands out.
Nutrition
