Wellness Origin HubGolden milk, the turmeric latte done properly
A warm cup of milk, turmeric, ginger and black pepper, older than any café menu. Here is the version worth making at home.
In Indian homes it is called haldi doodh, turmeric milk, and it was a remedy long before it was a latte. The café version is often sweet and thin. The home version is richer, spicier and takes eight minutes.
How to make it
- Pour the milk into a small pan and whisk in the turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and pepper before you turn on the heat, so the spices dissolve instead of clumping.
- Warm over a medium-low heat, whisking now and then, until it steams and small bubbles appear at the edge. Do not let it boil.
- Turn the heat down and let it barely simmer for 3 minutes to take the raw edge off the turmeric.
- Take it off the heat, stir in the honey, and strain if you used fresh ginger.
- Froth with a whisk or a milk frother, pour into a mug and dust with a little more cinnamon.
Why the black pepper matters
Curcumin, the compound people drink turmeric for, is poorly absorbed on its own. Piperine in black pepper improves its absorption considerably, and fat from the milk helps too. A pinch is enough; you will not taste it.
Variations
- Iced: make it with half the milk, let it cool, then top up with cold milk over ice.
- Stronger: add a cardamom pod and a clove while it simmers.
- Before bed: skip the honey and add a few drops of vanilla.
Photograph: Andy Li, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
