golden milk

one of my favorite drinks of all-time.

i make this recipe regularly, or whenever i can remember to. curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has been clinically shown to reduce inflammation, and therefore ease symptoms of everything from arthritis to allergies. other studies tentatively show it may shrink cancers, reduce the plaque in the brain associated with alzheimer’s, and calm anxiety. in traditional ayurvedic medicine, it clears skin and regulates blood sugar, as well as reducing inflammation and “assisting the whole female system,” which sounds pretty good to me.

i wouldn’t be so inclined to believe them if i didn’t crave golden milk so much, particularly during the changing seasons. it turns my bad knee into my “not quite as good” knee.

(warning: turmeric permanently stains absolutely everything, including things you didn’t even know could stain, like your grater, your hands, your stove, and your sink. it’s completely worth it.)

+ set a saucepan on low.
+ add two cloves and a quarter to a half inch of cinnamon bark. toast for a few minutes.
+ add 1 cup milk (any milk or milk substitute! some people even use water – but add a drop of ghee, coconut oil, or almond oil to aid absorption. i recommend cow, goat, coconut, or almond milk.)
+ grate 1 inch raw turmeric and 1/4 inch raw ginger into the milk. if you can’t find them raw, feel free to use turmeric or ginger paste, juice, or even powdered.
+ make sure to stir regularly
+ add a saffron thread, if you have it
+ add a pinch of black pepper. this is the only ingredient, besides the turmeric and milk, that isn’t optional! pepper helps you absorb the turmeric.

you will notice a sharp change in flavor when it is done – between five and eight minutes, usually, is all it takes to release the active chemicals.

made with thick, unhomogenized local milk and finished with a spoonful of raw honey, it’s a rich dessert. taken just as is, it’s perfect medicine for the winter blahs, for seasonal allergies, for healing injuries, and as a general tonic to stay well.

probably one of my top ten most highly recommended recipes.

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