Recipes 46: 7 Desi Winter Drinks That Will Warm Your Body (& Your Heart)

Oh, the winter chills! They can get a little challenging as much as they are thrilling at times. Sunbathing hits different during the cold months and when it is accompanied with a garma-garam, desi drink, there’s nothing like it. 

So, wear your jackets and socks, and cozy up with a warm desi drink in hand.

Here are 7 such recipes you can try out this winter.

1. Masala Chai

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 9 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 2 tsp black tea
• ¼ cup milk (at room temperature)
• 1-inch cinnamon
• 2 to 3 green cardamoms
• 2 cloves
• 1-inch ginger 
• Sugar to taste

Method:

• Take green cardamoms, peeled ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in a mortar pestle, and crush them into a coarse powder.
• Heat water in a pan.
• Add the spice mixture once the water has come to a boil.
• Boil the spices in water for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Next, add the tea leaves and boil for a minute. If you prefer your tea strong, boil for a few more minutes.
• Finally, add milk and again boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour this through a strainer placed on the cups and then serve.

2. Kashmiri Kahwa

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 2 inches dalchini (cinnamon)
• 2 chhoti ilaichi (green cardamoms)
• 2 laung (cloves)
• 5 to 6 dried rose petals (optional)
• Sugar to taste
• 1 tsp green tea leaves
• 4 to 5 almonds/walnut 
• 10 to 12 saffron strands (optional)

Method:

• Take the spices in a mortar pestle and crush them into a coarse powder. Keep aside.
• Crush the almonds or walnuts.
• Take water in a saucepan and place it on medium heat.
• Add the crushed spices and dried rose petals in the water.
• Add sugar as per taste.
• Switch off the flame and keep the pan off the heat before adding green tea.
• Cover the pan with a lid and soak green tea in the water for 3 minutes.
• Pour the tea through a strainer placed on the cups.
• Sprinkle a few strands of saffron and crushed almonds in every cup before serving.

Read: 5 Swadisht Dal Recipes To Make Your Meals More Interesting

3. Kharik Badam Ka Doodh (Date & Almond Milk)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4½ cups whole milk
• 10 khajoor (dates)
• 12 almonds
• ¼ tsp ilaichi (cardamom powder)
• A few strands of kesar (saffron)

Method:

• Soak almonds overnight for about 5 hours and then peel them off.
• Deseed the dates.
• Boil milk in a pan and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
• Blend the almonds and dates with 5 tablespoons of milk in a mixer to get a fine paste.
• Add this paste in the hot milk and allow it to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Finally, add cardamom powder and switch off the flame.
• Sprinkle a few strands of saffron and crushed almonds before serving.

4. Black Tea

Prep Time: – 

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1½ tsp tea leaves
• 1 tsp shahad (honey) to taste
• 2 cups water

Method:

• Boil water in a sauce over medium heat for 3 minutes.
• Switch off the flame and then add tea leaves. Cover the pan.
• Let the leaves soak in water for 2 minutes.
• Strain the tea leaves through a strainer placed over the cups.
• Add honey, blend it well, and serve.

Read: 5 Soup Recipes For The Winter To Keep You Warm

5. Masala Doodh (Milk)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 10 almonds
• 10 cashews
• 15 pistachios
• 10 to 12 saffron strands
• 4 green cardamoms
• 2 cloves (optional)
• 3 cups milk
• 1 to 2 pinches of nutmeg powder
• Sugar to taste

Method:

• Crush the nuts in a mortar pestle or grind them in a dry grinder.
• Add green cardamom seeds, cloves, and saffron strands to the above and grind again.
• Boil a pan of milk on low-medium heat and stir at frequent intervals so it doesn’t burn from the bottom or get stuck to the sides.
• After the milk comes to a boil, add the masala powder.
• Next, add 1 to 2 pinches of nutmeg powder to the hot milk. 
• Then, add sugar and blend well. 
• Let the milk simmer for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Masala milk is ready to be served.

6. Bajari Ni Raab / Bajra Raab

Prep Time: – 

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp black millet flour
• Water as required
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 4 tbsp sugar
• Water as required

Method:

• Heat ghee in a deep-bottomed pan on medium flame. 
• Add black millet and mix well.
• Add enough water to the above mixture to give it a watery consistency and combine to get an even paste.
• Cook this for a minute, stirring continuously.
• Add sugar to the above and blend well again, and keep cooking for 2 more minutes.
• Serve hot.

7. Tulsi (Holy Basil) Tea

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 15 to 20 fresh tulsi leaves
• 1 glass of water
• 1 tbsp honey

Method:

• Add tulsi leaves to a cup of water in a pan and bring it to a boil.
• Reduce the flame and let the water simmer for at least 10 minutes. 
• The water turning brown in colour indicates that the juices of tulsi leaves have got completely infused in them.
• Switch off the flame.
• Keep it aside until it becomes lukewarm.
• Strain this through a strainer placed on cups.
• Add honey and blend well.

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