Spiced Golden Milk Turmeric Milk

For the record, I checked my phone a total of 19 times while creating this post. I know, my problem runs deep. In an effort to be more mindful and focused, I’m starting a few new habits: Perhaps this website is a bit of a food journal for me, but I want to establish a practice that doesn’t involve staring into a brightly lit screen where distractions abound. Over the past week, I have started journaling more, and it’s very cathartic to release all of my thoughts onto a 5×8 piece of paper. My moments of journaling zen are often accompanied by a warm beverage. Lately, it’s been golden milk. For those of you who have never heard of golden milk, it is essentially a warm beverage with turmeric, milk and spices. Besides nourishing our mind and body, golden milk is filled with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory goodness. We can thank the turmeric for that. Turmeric has a bitter aftertaste. If you have never tried golden milk before, I recommend going slow with just a 1/4 teaspoon of ground turmeric to 1 1/4 cups of milk. Once you are accustomed to the taste, start adding more turmeric. Do note that turmeric doesn’t dissolve well in liquids. If you add too much, the turmeric will just settle at the bottom and you’ll find a thick layer of turmeric when you reach your final sip.

COOKING NOTES FOR THE GOLDEN MILK

Fresh versus ground turmeric: Because fresh turmeric can be difficult to find, I decided to develop the recipe with ground turmeric. In terms of taste, I prefer fresh turmeric slightly more because the flavors are more gentle and I don’t have to worry about turmeric powder settling at the bottom of my cup. In terms of aesthetics, the color of golden milk made with ground turmeric is the prettiest. It all goes down to personal preference. If you use freshly grated turmeric, I would use about 3/4 to 1 teaspoon for this recipe.Warm up milk on low heat: Make sure to heat up the milk on low heat. I have found that warming up the milk on low heat is the best way to preserve the bright color of the golden milk and helps prevent the milk from burning.You can use any kind of milk: I used almond milk in the recipe because of its neutral flavor. Feel free to use any other kind of milk that you prefer.How to get rid of turmeric stains: I have never cooked with turmeric without staining every surface in sight. (CONFESSION: There were splotches of yellow stains on my photo surface after filming the video for this recipe. Oops.) Turmeric is one of the toughest stains to clean. Fortunately, I have found a good solution for cleaning up the mess. Make a fairly thick paste with baking soda and water. Add a little squeeze of toothpaste to the mixture. Rub this mixture over the stained area and let it sit there for 8 to 10 minutes. Use a damp cloth to wipe away the stain.