Thumbnail image by Jess Soraya from Pixabay
By Rebecca Fending
If you haven’t heard of golden milk, this beverage hails from India and acts as a cure-all for illness, insomnia or even just a quick comfort fix. Many variations exist, as many families have their own signature recipe that they’ve sworn by for centuries.
In 2016, the trend of “turmeric milk” made its rounds on the internet. This drink was a simplified derivative of golden milk, combining milk and turmeric with ginger or cinnamon. However, traditional golden milk includes cardamom and black pepper to bring out the flavor and efficacy of turmeric.
The anti-inflammatory qualities of the turmeric and ginger, along with the calming warmth of the drink can help you drift off to sleep faster, or just wind you down for the night.
Add or remove any ingredients from this recipe to make it your own; just be sure to leave the turmeric.
Traditional Golden Milk
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups milk 20 oz, use milk of choice
- 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 4 green cardamom pods, slightly crushed
- ½-inch ginger, cut into thin slices
- 5-6 whole black peppercorns
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice, to taste (cane sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.)
Directions
- Add milk to a pan on medium heat. Add turmeric to the pan once the milk is lukewarm.
- Add crushed green cardamom pods, sliced ginger, black peppercorns and cinnamon stick.
- Add in the sweetener and whisk it all together. Bring to a gentle simmer (don’t boil!) for 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat, cover pan and let sit for another 5 minutes for the flavors to steep.
- Strain into serving cups and sprinkle with cardamom or cinnamon powder before serving.
