Make this masala milk mix ahead of time and add to any kind of warm, organic milk to create a delicious and healthy beverage that is filled with the goodness of nuts, seeds, aromatic spices like saffron, turmeric, cardamom and dried ginger.
Cashews (a handful)
Almonds (peeled) (a handful)
Pumpkin seeds (a handful)
Sunflower seeds (a handful)
Greed cardamom pods (4)
Dried ginger powder (1 tsp)
Turmeric powder (1 tsp)
Cinnamon powder (1/2 tsp)
Saffron strands (10-12)
Organic brown sugar (optional) (to taste)
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Use a coffee grinder or blender to grind the nuts, seeds, and cardamom pods into a fine powder. If desired, you can dry roast the nuts, seeds, and cardamom before grinding, as this can improve the digestibility of the nuts and seeds and enhance the aroma of the cardamom seeds.
Step 2
Combine the rest of the ingredients and transfer the mix in a clean, dry glass or steel container for storage.
Step 3
Stir 1-2 teaspoons of this blend into warm milk. If you wish to sweeten the drink, you can add a few drops of honey (ensure that the milk isn't hot), or some organic brown or rock sugar before serving.
Tastes (Rasa)
Sweet (nuts, seeds), sour (none), salty (none), bitter (turmeric), pungent (ginger, cardamom, cinnamon), astringent (turmeric).
Doshic Influence
Nuts and seeds, in excess, may be kapha aggravating. Milk by itself is also kapha aggravating. However, for young kids and active adults with a good digestive fire, milk, nuts and seeds are a great diet addition, since they provide important nutrients and build strength in the body tissues. The addition of the digestive herbs and spices is crucial since milk by itself is difficult to digest. Warming the milk and adding slightly pungent, digestive and aromatic herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon serve the purpose of enhancing the taste, aroma and digestibility of the masala milk. Saffron serves as a digestive and also helps promote good sleep, making this a great drink to indulge in before going to bed at night.
Effects on the Mind (Gunas)
This mild, sweet, and nourishing drink mix is highly sattvic for the body and mind. It calms and harmonizes the mind and nourishes the body.