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Haldi doodh (turmeric milk)
हल्दी दूध: hot milk simmered with turmeric, black pepper and jaggery, the bedtime cup of Indian homes
In homes from Punjab to Kerala, a mother or grandmother hands round haldi doodh on cold winter nights, after a fall in the playground or whenever someone starts sniffling; it is drunk at bedtime, steaming, in a steel tumbler. Milk is simmered with turmeric, a few grinds of black pepper and sometimes ginger or cinnamon, then sweetened with jaggery. It is golden, warming and gently earthy, with a soft peppery heat and a slightly grainy feel if the turmeric is fresh-ground. It is traditionally drunk for colds and aches, as a comfort rather than a cure. The common mistake is adding raw turmeric powder to hot milk at the end: it tastes chalky and bitter. Simmer it in the milk for a few minutes so the raw edge cooks out. It is ready when the milk turns an even deep yellow, smells mellow and has a thin skin forming on top. Add jaggery off the heat, as it can curdle boiling milk. Turmeric stains, so use a steel pan. Chef's tip: a teaspoon of ghee stirred in at the end makes it rounder and is how many families make it.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For two cups
- 2 cups full-fat milk
- 1 tsp turmeric powderor 2 cm fresh turmeric, grated
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp jaggery, grated
Optional
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- 1 tsp ghee (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Pour 2 cups full-fat milk into a steel pan, add 1 tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground, 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated and 1 cinnamon stick if using, and whisk until no turmeric floats on top.
1 minStep 2: Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring so it does not catch.
4 minStep 3: Lower the heat and simmer until the milk is evenly deep yellow and smells mellow rather than raw.
4 minStep 4: Turn off the heat, stir in 2 tbsp jaggery, grated and 1 tsp ghee if using until dissolved, strain into cups and drink hot.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does haldi doodh (turmeric milk) take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of full-fat milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger, grated?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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Perfect for:Winter warmers