Golden Milk Takes the Royal Pain out of Colds

Last week, when I was traveling, I felt a cold lurking in the shadows behind me. I just kept walking faster, hoping it wouldn’t catch me. And as soon as I got home, I reached for my Turmeric Golden Milk in the fridge to soothe me.

While turmeric or Golden Milk has been around forever, the creamy, frothy “turmeric lattes” that have been introduced to the masses is an entirely Westernized variant of the traditional Indian haldi doodh (which is simply warm milk with turmeric.)

Turmeric, containing curcumin, has been shown to reduce inflammation, alleviate gastric issues, and possess antiviral properties, among other benefits. It’s cheeky, too, with its unapologetic bright golden, yellow-orange hues. (Those hues will happily turn anything white to a chirpy yellow, so be careful when mixing and cleaning up.)

When our clientele at Mary’s Marvelous was clambering for a Turmeric latte, I began my research in earnest and created a beautiful, frothy version of our own.

Many providers will advertise “Turmeric Milk,” but it will come in powder form. Don’t be expecting a beautiful milky drink like what you find in the eggnog refrigerators during the holidays.

I prefer to make up my own turmeric concoction and mix it with a bit of liquid to make a paste. Regular milk, almond, coconut, or oat milk are all great vehicles.

I use organic ground turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger, a bit of vanilla (paste, powder or extract will do) with just a pinch of dry chili flake and ground black pepper (known to support the flow of oxygen to the brain and enhance digestion and circulation AND dispatch with mucus in the digestive tract and sinuses, perfect for phlegmy noses and throats.)

In the winter when colds seem to be more “lurky,” I double the recipe to make a big Play-Doh-like lump and keep it on hand in the fridge.

the spices, cooking spices with water, the finished paste

If you use a non-dairy milk or even water, the refrigerated paste will last several weeks in a food storage plastic or glass container.

Then, take just a teaspoon or so of your turmeric paste, 1 cup of milk of your choice (or water), a teaspoon of sweetener, (either date syrup, maple syrup, honey or agave) and heat over a slow flame, stirring with a whisk until it comes to a boil. If you want the “frothy” latte-esque factor, use one of those handy battery-operated milk frothers.

Golden Milk

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla - extract, powder or paste

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• pinch dry chili flake (optional)

• 4 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix all the dry spices together until blended.

2. Add the water and the vanilla and mix well.

3. In a small saucepan, heat the mixture over medium-low heat for 3 minutes while stirring continuously with a small whisk.

4. Remove from heat and transfer to a glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 weeks.

5. To prepare the mixture, take 1 teaspoon of the paste and combine it with 1 cup of milk of your choice (or water) and 1 teaspoon of your preferred sweetener, such as maple syrup, date syrup, honey, or agave. Heat the mixture over low flame until it reaches a boil.