Cold Badam Milk Recipe

Place the whole almonds in a small bowl and cover with 1 cup of warm water. Let them soak for 30–45 minutes until plump and slightly softened. This short soak softens them enough for blending but keeps a fresh almond flavor.

After soaking, drain the almonds and rinse under cool water. If you prefer a smoother milk, pinch each almond between thumb and forefinger to slip off the skins; this is optional but yields a whiter, silkier milk.

Add the soaked (and peeled, if desired) almonds to a blender with 1 cup of the milk. Blend on high for 1–2 minutes until the mixture is very smooth and creamy.

With the blender running, pour in the remaining 2 cups of milk and continue blending 20–30 seconds to fully incorporate. If you want a lighter drink, add up to 1 cup cold water and pulse once or twice.

Optional (for ultra-smooth milk): Pour the blended almond-milk through a fine-mesh sieve or nut-milk bag into a pitcher, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. If you like some almond texture, skip this step and keep the mixture as-is.

Crush Cardamom

Lightly crush the cardamom pods with the flat of a knife or a mortar and pestle to expose the seeds.

Place the crushed cardamom seeds (and pods if using) and saffron threads in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of warm milk from the pitcher. Let them steep for 5 minutes so the saffron blooms and the cardamom releases aroma.

Stir the steeped saffron-cardamom milk into the pitcher of almond milk. Add the granulated sugar, rose water, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 1–2 minutes). Taste and adjust sugar or rose water to preference.

Refrigerate the cold badam milk for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and the drink to become thoroughly chilled. If you need it immediately, fill serving glasses with ice cubes before pouring.

Stir the milk well before serving. Pour into 4 chilled glasses over ice (about 1–2 ice cubes per serving if you prefer less dilution).

Garnish each glass with a sprinkle of slivered almonds and crushed pistachios. Optionally, add a few extra saffron threads on top for color.