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2 cups of masala milk garnished with nuts and saffron

Masala Milk | Masala Doodh

Shweta Arora
Masala milk or Masala Doodh is traditional sweetened milk enriched with powdered nuts and flavored with cardamom and saffron. This flavourful drink is made on Kojagiri Purnima in Maharashtra and can be served hot or cold.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Beverage, Dessert
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

For Masala Milk

  • 4 cups whole full fat milk
  • 4 tablespoon sugar adjust to taste
  • Pinch saffron strands
  • 2-3 tablespoon Masala milk powder recipe included
  • Sliced almonds and pistachios for serving and garnishing, optional

For Milk Masala Powder (makes 1 cup powder)

Instructions
 

To make masala milk powder

  • Start by dry roasting the whole nuts. Heat a pan on medium-low heat and add the dry fruits to it. Keep stirring for 2 mins, make sure they don’t turn brown. Alternately for roasting, you can also microwave the nuts for 1 min.
  • Allow cooling completely. They will crisp up as they cool.
  • Add the roasted nuts to a grinder or blender and grind to a coarse powder. I use my coffee grinder.
  • Mix in the saffron and cardamom powder. Mix well and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Use as needed.

Masala doodh using Stove top Method

  • In a thick bottom pan, bring milk to boil stirring occasionally to avoid it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Take a tablespoon or two of this warm milk into a small bowl and soak some saffron in it.
  • Add 2 tablespoon of the masala milk powder to this boiled milk and mix well until combined.
  • Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 mins stirring intermittently. Keep scraping the sides and adding it back to the milk.
  • Add the soaked saffron with milk, sugar and mix again until sugar is dissolved.
  • Simmer for another 4-5 mins stirring intermittently. Keep scraping the sides and adding it back to the milk. This helps thicken (reduce) the milk and tastes amazing.
  • Masala milk is ready! Garnish with some sliced almonds or pistachios and serve warm or allow to cool and refrigerate and serve chilled.

Masala doodh using Instant Pot Method (PIP)

  • Add water 1.5 cups of water to the Instant Pot stainless steel insert and place a trivet.
  • In another stainless steel pot that fits in Instant Pot, add milk, masala milk powder, and saffron. Mix well to combine.
  • Place this milk pot on the trivet.
  • Close lid with vent to sealing. Press manual (pressure cook) for 5 mins. Allow natural release.
  • Stir in the sugar or honey and stir until combined.
  • Masala milk is ready! Garnish with some sliced almonds or pistachios and serve warm or allow to cool and refrigerate and serve chilled.

Masala doodh using Instant Pot Method on Saute mode

  • Add 1-2 tablespoon of water to the instant pot insert and coat the bottom of the pot. This prevents the milk from burning.
  • Stir in the milk, masala milk powder, sugar, and saffron. Mix well to combine.
  • Start Instant Pot on saute mode (normal). Keep stirring intermittently and get the milk mixture to a boil (approx 7-8 mins).
  • When the milk boils it will rise to the top so don't walk away as the chances are it may spill. Keep stirring till it settles back to its original level.
  • The milk will simmer for some time and then rise again. Stir to get it back down.
  • This is a repeat cycle and I do it just for 5 mins and then turn off the saute mode and let the milk stay for 5 mins before serving. It will get a layer of cream/malai. Stir it in and serve.
  • Masala milk is ready! Garnish with some sliced almonds or pistachios and serve warm or allow to cool and refrigerate and serve chilled.

Notes

  • Use full-fat milk for that rich, thick, and creamy consistency. Substitute with almond milk to make it vegan. 
  • Roast the dry fruits, which makes them crunchy and grinding easier.
  • For variation, add rose petals while boiling milk or a drop of rose essence.
  • My mom always adds charoli (cuddapah almond) to this milk, add it while boiling milk. It tastes amazing. I was out of these so skipped.
  • Make turmeric masala milk (Haldi wala doodh) by adding half to 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder to the masala milk powder. 
  • Add a tablespoon or two of milk powder to the homemade masala to make the milk more creamy. Completely optional.
  • Substitute white sugar with coconut sugar or honey or jaggery powder. Add all these alternatives at the end once the milk is boiled.
  • For Instant pot, don’t do a quick release, the milk will splatter all over. 
  • With the Instant pot PIP method, the milk consistency will not be thick since it's not reduced. But the pro here is that you don't have to babysit it and its still delicious. If you prefer the thick milk, you can use IP on saute mode. Here are both the options.
  • You can easily double or half the recipe. Use about ½ tablespoon of masala powder and a half to 1 tablespoon of sugar for every cup of milk. Adjust to your preference.
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