Badaam Milk / Almond drink

In Pleasanton, California,  summer loves to ?fall? during September and that too with a vengeance. It?s true. Yesterday the temperature was 106 degrees F. Heat was unbearable, sapping everyone of all energy, which prompted me to make badaam milk. It’s totally refreshing and wholly wholesome.  How you flavor it is up to you but you can?t go wrong with cardamom or rose essence. The drink also provided a perfect opportunity to use my serendipitous purchase of these beautiful silver cups from Angels Camp and lay them on the pretty table runner gifted to me by my dear friend Varsha.

1/3 cup almonds, soaked for 4-5 hours, and peeled

5 cups low fat or regular milk + another 1/2 cup to blend with almonds

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tea spoon powdered cardamom

1/2 drop of rose essence

1. Bring milk to boil and continue to simmer it on low heat for 1/2 hour. Stir a few times in between.

2. Grind peeled almonds along with sugar and 1/2 cup milk. until very smooth. (approx. 5 minutes) Adding sugar along with the almonds helps to get a smoother almond paste.

3. Add the hot milk to the almond paste and blend further for 30 seconds.

4. Taste and add more sugar if required.

5. Add cardamom powder. If using saffron add a pinch at this time. If using rose essence, skip saffron.

6. Chill the milk in refrigerator. Add 1/2 a drop of rose essence.

Makes about 6 cups.