Hot Badam Milk Recipe

Soak almonds

Place 3/4 cup blanched raw almonds in a small bowl and cover with 1/2 cup warm water. Let soak 20–30 minutes until slightly softened. If using unblanched almonds, blanch in boiling water 1 minute, drain and slip off skins before soaking.

Prepare aromatics

Crush 4 green cardamom pods lightly with the flat side of a knife to release seeds. Reserve the crushed pods and seeds. Place 6 saffron strands into 1 tablespoon warm milk to bloom while you work (this can be split between paste and final milk).

Grind almonds

Drain almonds and transfer to a small blender or spice grinder. Add the crushed cardamom seeds (not the empty pods) and 3 tablespoons warm milk or water. Grind to a smooth, slightly thick paste — pause and scrape sides once or twice. If the paste is too coarse, add up to 1 tablespoon more warm milk. The paste should be smooth enough to blend into milk without graininess.

Heat milk

Pour 4 cups whole milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add a pinch of salt (this enhances sweetness) and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent skining or burning. Do not boil vigorously — maintain a gentle simmer.

Incorporate badam paste

Once milk is steaming and just beginning to simmer (small bubbles at the edges), reduce heat to low. Whisk 2–3 teaspoons of the warm milk into the almond paste to loosen it, then add the paste to the saucepan. Whisk continuously to disperse the paste evenly and avoid lumps. Continue to simmer on low for 6–8 minutes, stirring frequently, so the almond flavor infuses and the raw paste cooks slightly.

Sweeten and enrich

Stir in 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (if using) to taste. Continue to simmer 2–3 minutes, tasting and adjusting sweetness. If you want stronger saffron flavor, add the saffron-infused milk prepared earlier now. Keep whisking so nothing sticks to the bottom.

Final simmer and strain (optional)

After the milk is fragrant and slightly thickened (it may coat the back of a spoon), remove from heat. If you prefer an ultra-smooth drink, strain the badam milk through a fine-mesh sieve into a serving pot to remove any tiny almond bits or cardamom husks.

Serve

Pour hot badam milk into cups. Garnish each serving with a pinch of slivered almonds, a few crushed pistachios if using, and a couple of saffron strands. Serve immediately while hot.