Golden Milk

I learnt how to make Chai when I was in India and when I was an apprentice chef, our kitchen hands always had pots of it simmering away when I left at night.

Nowadays in the West we call it ‘golden milk’ or ‘golden mylk’ if using an alternative to dairy. You can buy bags and sachets but it’s never as good as making your own.

You can top it up every day if using a non dairy milk (I use dairy, and top it up anyway!) I don’t advise it though.

This is so delicious hot or cold, enjoy it anytime during the day unless you're fasting of course!

I know this recipe has a long list of spices. Feel free to substitute with ground spices, or omit the ones you don’t have on hand. Keep it as simple or as supercharged as you want.  Remember, besides the milk and turmeric, black pepper (and arguably a sweetener), almost everything else could be optional. Though it won’t be as good!

Every ingredient has its own benefits but the curcumin in turmeric is super important! Read on to the end to find out more…

250ml Water - accounts for evaporation and prevents the drink from getting heavy.

1 litre Milk - whole milk is traditional but you can use any dairy-free milk such as almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk. If using a low-fat milk, see note on how to optimize for absorption.

5 Crushed Black Peppercorns - the piperine (the compound in black pepper that enhances turmeric absorption) makes it an essential ingredient if you’re aiming to get the most health benefits. Use whole or freshly ground peppercorns, as pre-ground black pepper may have lost its beneficial properties.

1 Cinnamon Stick and Cardamom Pod - often added to traditional recipes for flavour and health benefits.

3 Cloves - this could very well be optional, but throw one in if you’ve got it.

Sweetener to taste - I most often use honey, but you can use any you’d like.

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

Star Anise - adds a subtle floral taste.

Vanilla - very much inauthentic, but I like it!

Ginger - had Golden Milk at a café in San Francisco and the ginger was almost too much, even for me, but it has so many health benefits . For stronger flavour, mince the ginger.

Ghee or Coconut Oil - in traditional recipes, ghee would sometimes be added for extra nutrition and healthy fats.

I like to give mine a quick blitz in the Nutribullet with either fat, or Hunter and Gather MCT oil.

TURMERIC POWDER (GROUND TURMERIC)

Nowadays unless I have fresh turmeric I use powdered curcumin.

Fact - curcumin, the active and most beneficial component of turmeric, is what gives turmeric its deep yellow colour. Turmeric powders come with varying levels of curcumin content

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF TURMERIC

Turmeric has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine as well as traditional Chinese medicine. In a review of 700+ studies, turmeric was found to outperform many pharmaceutical drugs. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric that does all the magic!

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!