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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