Today I have served almond milk with phenori or chiroti - South Indian pastry. One of the best dessert or sweet to try this Diwali, Navratri or holiday season.
Badam Milk is also known as badam doodh or badam paal or badami haalu in Indian languages.
This can be served on daily basis as a tea and coffee substitute, on special occasions like Diwali, Holi, Navratri, and Ram Navami as a welcome drink. I am from coastal region of Karnataka and almond milk or badam milk is served during weddings or special occasions and festivals with phenori or chiroti also known as paal poli, padhir pheni, (these are Indian style pastries soaked in almond milk). This combination is like serving jalebi with rabri or rabdi, rasmalai with sweetened saffron flavored milk or gulab jamun and rasgulla with saffron and cardamom flavored sugar syrup. Badam milk can also be served with cereals, to make kulfi or ice cream or falooda.
You can substitute whole milk with water or if you are in United States or western countries with dairy free almond milk and double the amount of almonds. Dry roast the almonds or badam on medium flame. Bring 2 cups of milk to boil. Meanwhile blend roasted almonds, cardamom seeds, saffron strands to a fine powder. Depending on the mixer you use you may get coarse or fine powder. You can add little water or milk while blending if needed to get smooth paste. Add this to boiling milk and stir well. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. You can serve this warm or chilled. Remember, I have not strained the milk as I love to eat those small pieces of almonds. You can strain before serving it as a drink.
I love adding roasted almonds with skin-on as its quick and easy. Traditionally, to make almond milk, almonds are soaked in water for at least 5 hours or for quicker and efficient way add almonds in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain the water. Peel off the skin and roast them on pan till its dry and moisture has evaporated completely. Finally, in a blender or mixer, blend it to powder. You can store this almond powder or badam powder in air tight container for up to months and use as and when required. Make sure that you grind them in intervals or batches to get fine powder - specially if you are doing in a large quantity - as grinding almonds for a long time will release oil and turns it into paste than powder.
It is very tasty, nutritious and protein packed milk, high in calcium and vitamins D and E. Do not give any variety of milk - cows milk, goat milk, buffalo milk, almond milk or soy milk - for your kids till 1 year. Breast milk is always the best. If your baby is older than 12 months you can definitely give them this drink with reduced amount of sugar. Make sure they are not allergic to any nuts. Its always good to consult a pediatrician before introducing any new food.
Wish you all very happy and prosperous Diwali and Happy Holidays 2020
Diwali is round the corner. Last year I had prepared and shared milk barfi on occasion of Diwali and thank you guys for your overwhelming response. It’s the number 1 recipe on my blog now. You can make phenori or chiroti sweet ahead of time - say 2 days before diwali - and prepare almond milk on the day you are going to serve this dessert. Shelf life of phenori or chiroti is 7 days at room temperature in an air tight container and almond or badam milk remains fresh for up to 2 days when refrigerated. So plan accordingly. In a serving bowl, add one or two phenori or chirotis, pour hot or cold milk, as per your liking, garnish it with some nuts and enjoy.
Recipe card
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