Badami Haalu

A soothing drink made with milk and ground almonds and flavoured with cardamom and saffron.

Preparation Time: 02 hours 05 minutes

Cooking / Simmering Time: 15 minutes

Serves-4

Ingredients and Quantity:

Milk- 5 ½ cups

Almonds- ½ cup

Saffron – 01 gm.

Dates, dried, chopped- 04 nos. (Optional)

Green cardamom powder- 1/4^th tsp.

Sugar/ honey/Kalsakkare- 04 tsp. / or more as required

For the Garnish:

Rose petals, dried and edible- ½ tbsp. (Optional)

Almonds, slivered- 01 tbsp.

Saffron, broiled- 1/4^th gm.

Method:

Soak the almonds in enough water for 02 hours.

Remove the peel and grind by adding a little milk to a smooth paste.

In a small bowl of hot milk, steep the saffron to extract maximum flavour and its vibrant colour.

In a heavy-bottomed deep pan, bring milk to a boil. Add the almond paste. Simmer for 05 minutes. Now add saffron, dates, sugar/ honey/ Kalsakkare. Stir and simmer for another 05 minutes.

Keep stirring till the sugar/kalsakkare is completely dissolved.

Bring it to a gentle boil and turn off the heat. Add green cardamom powder and stir.

Serve it very hot or at room temperature garnished with slivered almonds, broiled saffron and rose petals (Optional). 

Chef Tips:

1. You may skip adding the dried dates.
2. You may increase the quantity of almonds, if desired.
3. It is said that Badami halu (Badami Haalu) is soothing for dry coughs and helps to heal boils in the mouth or throat.