Another restaurant, another delicious drink successfully discovered. Madras Bros in Melbourne in Fitzroy served up an array of drinks, including Badam Gheer which I’ve tried to recreate at home.

Almond in Hindi and Persian languages is Badam, while in Serbo-Croatian it’s Badem. This drink called Badam Gheer definitely has almond in it.

Badam gheer

To make this drink, I used a spice and nut grinder, which also came in handy for Lebkuchengewürz, and could be used for Chai. All great excuses to invest in a spice grinder, it really pulverises spices! And grinds nuts.

Spice grinder

I used cinnamon as decoration, as it is quicker than pan frying pieces of various nuts for decoration, which is often done.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup almonds
  • 3 pieces green cardamom
  • 3 strands of saffron
  • 3 cups milk
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • cinnamon, for decoration

Steps

  1. Pour boiling water over almonds and soak for 4 hours.
  2. Skin almonds.
  3. Place almonds, cardamom and saffron in spice grinder. Pulse a few times, and then continuously grind until consistent. Milk can be added to help the mixture become consistent.
  4. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, boil the milk.
  5. Add the almond mixture and bring to a boil, then simmer until consistency is thick.
  6. Pour drink, and decorate with cinnamon.

This makes 3 small servings.

Having made this a few times now, I will agree with something I’ve read many times about saffron. If you can taste it in the dish, you have added too much!

Badam gheer