Almond Drink

I really have no idea how I should start.
This syrup has quiet a few memories connected with my life and I wish to share it with you.

When I was young, there was a house we always visited. That house belonged to our family friends, a herbal medicine doctor and his family.

To this day (the husband & wife died a few years ago) the only thing I remember and was very much fond of was the refreshing milky white drink they served us.

I can't describe how much I loved that drink. It had that sweet floral and citrusy aroma, a refreshing royal heavenly aroma. I truly can't describe it into words only that I had to remake that drink.


I wanted to recreate that drink but I wanted it in only smaller quantity with the fear that what if it do not taste better.. We can find this almond drink under the name of ( sherbet - e- badam) in markets of India and Pakistan. But they still can't beat the flavour and aroma of freshly home made.

So this is quiet an easy drink to make. You can double the quantity of ingredients to serve four people. Or you can even add or reduce sugar according to your own taste. But please don't mess with the cardamom and saffron if you are not doubling the quantity.

I add this syrup into my husband's night milk since our wedding day.

There is a tradition in Muslim weddings that the sisters/ cousins of the bride serves milk to groom. Naturally as our wedding was held in spring but Lahore city (Pakistan) being super hot, we knew what he actually had to serve

My cousins served this syrup into my husbands chilled milk on our wedding.

This recipe is also a copy cat of Horlicks royal kesar badam milk flavour. ( picture included) but tastes a lot better.

If you are making kesar badam drink (serves 2.)
10 almonds
3-4 strands saffron
1 cardamom
5-7 teaspoons sugar
Half cup water

Saffron ( if you need pure form) is only found in Kashmir in India. It is fairly expensive. But worth the flavour.


If you are making Horlicks kesar badam copy cat

I give my husband the above quantity with only 1 tablespoon sugar in 250 ml milk jug. I also add that pulp into it( exact copycat minus the pulp)

However feel free to add or reduce the ingredients according to your own taste.

Soak your almonds over night. Remove the peels. Wash. Now blend almonds in your blender with help of that half cup of water.

You need to blend a total of five times by separating your half cup of water into 5 equal parts

I will explain you how to do it.

Put your 10 almonds in blender.
Pour your first water part and blend.
Using Muslin cloth or a double strainer, strain your juice out of the pulp.

DON'T DISCARD THAT PULP.

Put that pulp back to blender add second part of water and blend again.

Do this until all five parts of water are used.

We are going to use this juice to make almond syrup. You can toast the pulp of almonds in an oven to make almond flour. However I often use this pulp to add it to my husband's Horlicks milk.

Put your extracted juice in a saucepan. Add cardamom, sugar and saffron strands. Let it cook of high heat. Stirring occasionally. Once it changes colour and thickens. Remove from heat and let cool. You can store this syrup in airtight box.

Add one table spoon of this mixture in a glass of milk to make copycat of Horlicks royal kesar badam flavoured milk/ wedding milk

Or

Add two table spoons into chilled cold water.

Perfect refreshing drink for summers.