Oats Badam Milk
- 30 min prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- Serves 3
- 265 kcal
- 10 g protein
Classic kesar badam milk, thickened with a spoon of oats ground into the almond paste. Saffron, cardamom, warm or chilled, ready in about 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (35 g) almonds (about 25)
- 3 tbsp (17 g) rolled oats
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) hot water, for soaking
- 2½ cups (610 g) full-cream milk
- 2½ tbsp (30 g) sugar, or to taste
- Seeds of 3 green cardamom pods, crushed
- A generous pinch of saffron strands
- 1 tbsp (8 g) slivered pistachios, to garnish
Method
- 1Soak the almonds in the hot water for 30 minutes. In a separate small bowl, soak the saffron in 1 tbsp warm milk taken from the measured milk.
- 2Drain the almonds and slip off their skins by pressing each one between your fingers.
- 3Put the peeled almonds, rolled oats, sugar and cardamom in a mixer jar with ⅓ cup of the milk. Blend to a very fine, smooth paste, stopping to scrape the sides. There should be no grainy bits.
- 4Bring the rest of the milk to a boil in a heavy saucepan on medium heat.
- 5Lower the heat and stir in the almond-oat paste. Swirl a few spoons of milk in the mixer jar to catch the last of the paste and add that too.
- 6Simmer on low for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often so it does not catch. It is ready when it thickens slightly, coats the spoon and the raw oat smell is gone.
- 7Stir in the saffron milk. Serve hot, or cool and chill for 2 hours, and top with pistachios.
Notes from the Department
- Grind the paste as fine as your mixer allows. If it is still grainy, strain the milk before serving.
- The oats thicken the milk further as it cools, so loosen chilled badam milk with a splash of cold milk.
- In a hurry, use ⅓ cup (35 g) blanched almond flour and skip the soaking.
Nutrition per serving
- Energy
- 265 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrate
- 27 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2.4 g
- Sugars
- 21 g
Why this works
Shop-bought badam milk often gets its body from custard powder or cornflour. We use a spoon of rolled oats instead, ground into the almond paste. Simmered for a few minutes, the oats thicken the milk gently and add a soft, rounded sweetness, while the almonds and saffron stay in charge of the flavour.
Peeling the almonds keeps the colour pale and the texture silky; almond skins make the milk slightly bitter and flecked. Blending the oats with the almonds, rather than adding them separately, means the oats are fully broken down before they meet heat, so there are no chewy bits in the glass.
Swaps
Use jaggery or dates in place of sugar, but add jaggery after the milk is off the heat so it does not split. Toned milk works for a lighter drink. For a vegan version, use oat milk or cashew milk and warm it without boiling. A drop of rose water or a few dried rose petals turn it into a festive drink. Use certified gluten-free oats if anyone avoids gluten.
Serving and storage
Hot badam milk is a winter-night drink; chilled, it is a summer afternoon one. It keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a covered jug. Whisk before pouring, since the almonds settle. Serve it in small glasses after dinner or alongside a light Sunday breakfast.
Questions people ask
- Do I need to peel the almonds for badam milk?
- It is not essential, but peeled almonds give a smoother, paler milk without bitterness. Soaking in hot water for 30 minutes makes the skins slip off easily.
- Can I use quick oats?
- Yes. Use the same 17 g. Quick oats break down even faster in the blender, so the milk turns out very smooth.
- Can I serve oats badam milk cold?
- Yes. Cool it to room temperature, then chill for at least 2 hours. It thickens in the fridge, so stir in a splash of cold milk before serving.
- Can I make it without sugar?
- Yes. Blend 3 to 4 soft dates into the paste instead, or skip sweetener entirely and let the almonds and milk carry it.
Inspired by Dassana's Veg Recipes. Method, notes and photograph by the Ministry of Oats.
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