This turmeric mango lassi is refreshing, lightly sweet and fruity. It’s filling enough for breakfast or lunch and enough of a treat for a dessert. The crunchy candied black pepper almonds are a lovely blend of sweet and spicy and are a great snack on their own or sprinkled onto the lassi.
Turmeric is the new cauliflower is the new kale. Suddenly even small local delis and farm shops have baskets of fresh turmeric root, looking like little thumbs or orange ginger and often puzzling shoppers as to how to use them. Vibrant ground turmeric is a staple on many spice racks and the blogosphere is awash with recipes using this golden wonderspice.
For a few years I’ve been drinking golden milk, warm milk and turmeric with spices, to cure colds. It works wonders. Kellie at Food to Glow has a fantastic recipe for golden milk and you can adapt it to what you have on hand. There’s no need for those awful chemical-filled hot cold and flu drinks – turmeric milk works much, much better.
Used for years in Ayurvedic treatments, turmeric has been reputed to have many health benefits, from antioxidant properties to reducing inflammation, from helping with arthritis to controlling IBS. With minimal proper studies, however, I tend to take these lists of benefits with a little pinch of salt. Or pepper. Apparently turmeric’s benefits are best unleashed by combining it with black pepper – hence the addition of the candied black pepper almonds to my lassi. But if turmeric can even do a fraction of the health benefits that are widely reported, surely it’s worth using.
Some of the easiest ways that I tend to incorporate turmeric into my diet (usually ground), are in scrambled eggs or scrambled tofu, in stews, curries, shakshukas, vegan mac n cheeze, and my very favourite, super simple way: ground turmeric on avocado toast with sea salt, pepper, chili flakes and lime juice. For a nourishing hot drink, try this easy spiced golden milk.
What about DIY beauty? Turmeric makes a great face mask, hair dye and tooth whitener.
This turmeric mango lassi is refreshing, lightly sweet and fruity. It’s filling enough for breakfast or lunch and enough of a treat for a dessert. The crunchy candied black pepper almonds are a lovely blend of sweet and spicy and are a great snack on their own or sprinkled onto the lassi.
Turmeric Mango Lassi with Candied Black Pepper Almonds
Ingredients
For the candied black pepper almonds
- 85 g (½ cup) almonds
- 1 tablespoon butter or diary free alternative
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the turmeric mango lassi
- 250 ml (1 cup) plain yogurt or dairy free alternative
- 150 ml (½ cup) milk (cow, almond, soy etc…)
- 1 mango flesh only
- 1 inch fresh turmeric root peeled
- 2 tablespoons sugar or honey optional
- handful of ice
Instructions
For the candied black pepper almonds
- Gently toast the almonds in a dry frying pan for a few minutes. Set aside.
- In a small pan, melt the butter. Add the sugar and let thicken while stirring. Add the pepper and toasted nuts and stir to coat. Set aside to cool.
For the turmeric mango lassi
- Blend all ingredients until smooth (I used a hight speed blender). Serve topped with the cooled candied almonds.
I love just eating the candied almonds on their own. There’s something so wonderful about making healthy nuts extra special. These roasted cashew nuts from Recipes from a Pantry are absolutely divine. I also adore these cinnamon sugar candied nuts from Damn Delicious. The options are pretty endless, from sweet to savoury!
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Healthy World Cuisine says
Love the additions of the Black peppered candied almonds on top. Super refreshing and healthy! We so need this around this time of the year with the cold and flu season ready to begin. Just pinned!
Kelly Thomson says
Great! Thanks for this useful info x
Helen @Fuss Free Flavours says
I love tumeric milk but have not had some for ages. Lovely recipe. Thanks entering into #creditcrunchmunch
choclette says
Your new theme looks splendid Kate. Love this recipe too. I never think to add turmeric to my morning smoothies, but should do as I could do with the benefits.
HedgeComber says
You definitely win this months tenuous links award for entering a lassi into a sandwich themed Tea Time Treats Kate 😀 However, I’m keeping it in cos it looks sooooo gorgeous! 🙂
Janie x
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Candied black pepper almonds?!?! Omg those sound amaaazing.
fabfood4all says
What a fabulous healthy drink and I had no idea about turmeric root being available so will keep my eyes peeled for that! Thanks for entering #CreditCrunchMunch
Kate Hackworthy says
Thanks Camilla. Do seek it out – I’ve been surprised to find it in so many greengrocers and markets!
Stuart says
Love this – the drink looks refreshing and those almonds would be great as a snack too x
Kate Hackworthy says
They are such a moreish snack!
Elizabeth says
Those almonds! I think if I had a plate of those I would start eating and never, ever be able to stop! Such a beautiful drink too. I’ve never seen turmeric root in our shops, but I’ll keep an eye out!
masonjarsalads says
This looks this amazing! Thanks for including my turmeric tea 🙂
Nicole
jensfood9 says
I’ve not tried fresh turmeric root yet, really should though as both me and the OH suffer from arthritis and it would be good to see if it can help us. Like the sound of the candied almonds to go with it as well.
Kate Hackworthy says
I keep seeing it everywhere suddenly, Jen. I hope you can get hold of some as it is meant to be great for arthritis – though I think ground is good, too.
themuffinmyth says
Oooh, this looks divine! We love cooking up spicy Indian influenced dishes, so having a lassi like this in the back pocket to cool down is essential. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Kate Hackworthy says
It would be perfect after a spicy dish!
Lucy Bakingqueen74 says
Gorgeous, what a great combination of flavours! I have heard about turmeric root but not seen it round here yet.
Thanks for entering #creditcrunchmunch
Margot⚓C&V (@coffeenvanilla) says
Oh, that looks lovely! I’ma big fan of lassi and almonds are one of my favourite nuts so this is just perfect. Beautiful photos as well, pinned couple of them to my Food & Drink board 😉
superfitbabe says
I love turmeric, but I never thought of putting it with mangoes!!
kellie anderson says
What a glorious and quite glam use for turmeric! Pinned, stumbled, tweeted, FB-shared and Yummed! Thanks so much for the mention, too. 🙂
Strength and Sunshine says
This is such a wonderful vegan Lassi! I love it! Turmeric will always be in my top 3 favorite spices!
And thank you so much for including my “cheezy” quinoa! XOXOXO