Masala doodh

Name: Masala doodh
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 750 ml milk, full-fat; 50 g sugar; 15 g almonds, coarsely ground; 10 g pistachios, coarsely ground; 1 pinch saffron; ½ tsp ground cardamom; ⅛ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated

Vegetarian

मसाला दूध · masālā dūdh

Full-fat milk simmered until slightly reduced, then sweetened and spiced with saffron, cardamom and nutmeg and thick with ground almonds and pistachios.

Masala doodh is an Indian hot drink, ready in about 25 minutes and made with milk, almonds and saffron. It serves 3 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep: 5 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 25 min
Serves: 3
Level: Beginner
Calories: 271

Ingredients

3 cups

750 ml Milk (opens in a new tab), full-fatContains milk
50 g Sugar (opens in a new tab)
15 g Almonds (opens in a new tab), coarsely groundContains tree nuts
10 g Pistachios (opens in a new tab), coarsely groundContains tree nuts
1 pinch (0 g) Saffron (opens in a new tab)
½ tsp (1 g) Ground cardamom (opens in a new tab)
⅛ tsp (0.5 g) Nutmeg (opens in a new tab), freshly grated

Equipment

Method

1
Step 1
Grind the almonds (opens in a new tab) and pistachios (opens in a new tab) coarsely. Warm the saffron (opens in a new tab) in a spoonful of the milk (opens in a new tab).
- 3 min
- Mortar and pestle (opens in a new tab)
2
Step 2
Bring the milk (opens in a new tab) to the boil in a heavy pan, then simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring and scraping the sides, until reduced by about a fifth.
- 15 min
- medium-low heat
- Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
3
Step 3
Stir in the sugar (opens in a new tab), saffron (opens in a new tab) milk (opens in a new tab) and ground nuts and simmer 3 minutes more.
- 3 min
- low heat
4
Step 4
Off the heat, add the cardamom and nutmeg (opens in a new tab) and stir until evenly speckled. Serve hot, or cooled and chilled.
- 1 min

About this dish

Origin: Western India (Maharashtra and Gujarat), India · Commonly attributedMade for Kojagiri (Sharad) Purnima, when the milk is traditionally left under the full moon before drinking.More food from India
Dish: Snack · Dinner · Hot drinks
Cooking method: Simmered
Taste: creamy, aromatic / warmly spiced, sweet, nutty
Diet: Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients
All labels
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-sodium
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for: Festive & celebration · Child-friendly
Cook more with: Milk · Almonds · Saffron · Sugar · Pistachios · Ground cardamom
Techniques: Boiling · Simmering · Reduction

Allergens

Contains: Milkfrom milk
Contains: Tree nutsfrom almonds, pistachios

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

271 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 283 g · recipe makes 3

Where the energy comes from

Protein 14%
Carbohydrate 45%
Fat 40%

Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g*
Energy	271 kcal	96 kcal
Protein	9.9 g	3.5 g
Carbohydrate	31.3 g	11.1 g
Net carbohydrate	30.2 g	10.7 g
Sugars	30.1 g	10.6 g
Added sugars	16.7 g	5.9 g
Fibre	1.1 g	0.4 g
Fat	12.4 g	4.4 g
Saturated fat	5.2 g	1.8 g
Trans fat	—	—
Cholesterol	26 mg	9 mg
Sodium	111 mg	39 mg
Salt equivalent	0.3 g	0.1 g

Vitamins & minerals per serving

Potassium: 416 mg
Calcium: 310 mg
Iron: 0.5 mg
Magnesium: 44 mg
Vitamin A (RAE): 119 µg
Vitamin C: 0 mg
Vitamin D: 3.3 µg
Vitamin B12: 1.2 µg
Folate (DFE): 17 µg

How these numbers were made

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
*Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
“—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

Charoli (chironji) nuts are a traditional addition if you can find them.

Common mistakes

Leaving the milk unattended — it boils over or scorches on the base; stir and scrape often.

Storage

Keeps 2 days in the fridge.

Reheating

Reheat gently, stirring, until steaming.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added 29 Oct 2026 · Updated 8 Nov 2026

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sip & BlendCompare with

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Milk, full-fat750 ml · 773 g

Used in step 2

Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sip & Blend

Reviews & corrections

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