Badami Haalu (Badam Milk) & Awards

Almonds are valued for their healthy properties besides their unique, delicate flavor and crunch. Nutritionally, almond is the most dense nut which is rich in vitamin E and mono unsaturated fats. High in protein and low in carbohydrates, these nuts are best even for a low calorie diet. There are several ways to include almonds in one's diet. Of course eating a handful of raw nuts, is the simplest.
Among my personal favorites, here is one nourishing, wholesome drink prepared using almonds and milk called badami haalu (badam milk). This is a popular one in Karnataka.

Nutritious, delicious and refreshing - that's what badam milk is to sum up. A hot drink on a cold winter day or a chilled one on a sultry day - it fits the bill either way.

Ingredients:

Almonds (badami, badam pappu) - 1/4 cup

Milk - 2 & 1/2 cups

Sugar 3 Tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Saffron strands - 10

Preparation:

There are no hard and fast rules about the quantity of almonds you use to prepare this drink. You can reduce or increase them according to your preference. I have used whole milk. You can add 2% milk or replace half the quantity of milk with evaporated milk for the extra richness.

• Soak the almonds in hot water for 15 - 30 minutes. Then peel the skins of the almonds. (I usually bring water to a rolling boil, add almonds and then turn off the stove. This way, almonds need about 1o minutes of soaking to remove the skins. Also, removing the skins is optional. If you don't want to remove the skins, skip this step).
• While the almonds are soaking, heat the milk, powder the cardamom and soak the saffron in a little hot milk for about 1o minutes.
• Grind the almonds and saffron smooth, adding milk as needed.
• Add this ground paste, sugar and cardamom powder to the milk and stir well, till the sugar is dissolved.
• This can be served hot or chilled.

This one goes to RCI - Karnataka hosted by Asha of Foodie's hope. the original creator of RCI event is LakshmiK of Veggie Cuisine.

*************Now on a special note, Many many thanks to dear friends TBC , Roopa, Bharathy & Kribha who have been generous enough to think I deserve these. Bharathi honored me with both. Ladies, thank you for this wonderful gesture.

"The Power of Schmooze Award is for bloggers who “effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don’t limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello - all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship.”

These awards go to every blogger I have met in the virtual world, who are unique and special in their own ways.

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