Hot South Asian Drinks to Keep You Warm This Winter

There’s something cozy and comforting about the change in season. The brisk cool air makes me want to cozy up with a good book and a nice hot drink.

What better time to make a homemade mulled cider with a South Asian twist! This quick and easy recipe uses store-bought fresh apple cider as a base. The spices in this recipe will keep you warm on those cold winter evenings.

If you’re looking for a new alternative to cider, hot Almond besan (gram flour) milk will hit the spot. This warm drink is not only reminiscent of India but also will relieve cough and cold symptoms by reducing congestion and soothing the throat.

Garam (Hot) Apple Cider
Recipe by Rachna Vohra
Makes two servings.

Ingredients
2 cups store-bought fresh apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
5 cloves
1 teaspoon garam masala (available at most South Asian stores)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions
1. Pour fresh apple cider into pot and add cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and garam masala.

2. Simmer, half-covered, on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will reduce the liquid.

3. Once you start smelling the cinnamon, add lemon juice and brown sugar, adjusting measurements to taste. The cider should taste sweet with a little tang to break the sweetness.

4. Let simmer for 5 minutes, until the flavors have married.

5. Pour into cups through a sieve and serve hot with a stick of cinnamon in each cup.

Tips:
- Depending on your preference for the various spices, sweetness or tang, you can adjust the recipe to add as much or as little as you like.
- If you have allspice berries, you can add 6 whole berries or 2 teaspoons of ground berries to the mixture with the rest of the spices.
- For an even warmer version of this recipe, add 1 ounce of dark or spiced rum to the pot with the lemon juice and brown sugar.

Almond Besan (Gram flour) Milk
Recipe by Kuljeet Johar
Makes two servings

Ingredients
½ teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon besan (gram flour, available at most South Asian stores)
½ cup ground almond
12 ounces milk
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Instructions
1. Melt butter in a small pot.

2. Add besan and cook on low heat until it starts bubbling and expanding.

3. Add milk and almonds to besan mixture.

4. Simmer on low heat for five minutes.

5. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

6. Serve warm.

Kuljeet Kaur contributed to this article.

Montreal-born poet and spoken word artist Rachna Vohra dreams of a better world, so she uses her words to color outside of society's lines. She has been published, anthologized, and recorded on CD, and she has participated and performed in a variety of literary festivals, interdisciplinary art events, reading series, fundraisers, and other shows and competitions across North America. To find out more about Rachna Vohra, visit www.rachnavohra.com.