Besan Doodh or Besan ka Sheera ( called Dodhi or Sudka) is a traditional Punjabi winter drink made with gram flour (Besan), turmeric, saffron, nuts and milk. It is a nourishing, healing and soothing bedtime drink for cold nights. Besan milk is also a perfect remedy for winter colds and coughs.
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Besan Milk/ Dodhi
When the nights turn chilly and the fog rolls in, there’s nothing more comforting than wrapping your hands around a warm mug of Haldi Besan Doodh — also known as Besan milk, Sudka, or Dodhi in Punjabi homes.
This is a traditional Punjabi winter drink that’s both delicious and deeply healing and nourishing. It is made with chickpea flour (besan), turmeric, milk, dates, nuts, and a touch of ghee, creating a creamy, soothing drink that warms you from within.
Growing up, this was part of our winter bedtime routine at my mum’s home.Having a mug of dodhi before bed in the chilly winter months was a routine. It wasn’t just a just soothing and delicious night time routine , this comforting ,healing golden drink kept winter colds and coughs at bay, eased sinus congestions, and always helped us sleep peacefully.
Honestly, I often wonder — when will this become the next #turmericlatte? Maybe it’s time the world discovered this wholesome #ChickpeaFlourLatte — a golden mug of comfort, nourishment, and warmth!
Why You’ll Love This Besan Doodh recipe
This drink is Comforting and nourishing: Smooth, rich, and aromatic — like a warm, golden pudding in a cup.
Healing: The besan, turmeric and black pepper combo helps fight winter infections naturally.
Natural cold & cough remedy: The classic sudka or dodhi is delicious, nourishes , soothes and calms your body.
Besan milk is Customizable: Easily make it vegan or dairy-free, or add your own choice of warming spices
Perfect bedtime drink: Best served hot and before bedtime for a soothing, restful night.
Ingredients required to make Besan Milk
This recipe required very few healthy , nutritious ingredients –
Ghee– Ghee nourishes the respiratory system, lubricates the throat, boosts immunity, and aids digestion.Ghee has been used for centuries in Indian home remedies for colds, coughs, and weakness.It’s considered sattvic, healing, and gut-friendly — making it perfect for bedtime drinks.
Chickpea flour / ground flour (besan), turmeric powder (haldi)– Besan works beautifully with ghee to enhance the absorption of curcumin (in turmeric) and other fat-soluble nutrients.Besan is very nutritious , it is high in B vitamins, iron and magnesium
These help strengthen immunity, especially when combined with turmeric, saffron, pepper, and nuts.
It makes the drink more medicinal and effective
Few other ingredients to combine the benefits of dodhi and add flavour to it are Black pepper, Few saffron strands as is or soaked in 1 tsp cold milk,few chopped dried dates (natural sweetness and energy but totally optional, and can be replaced with regular soft dates), a handful of roughly chopped nuts – almonds and cashews or any nuts of your choice.
Milk – Traditionally thi drink is made using dairy . You can use plant-based milk too – almond, oat, or coconut milk work nicely.
Honey , sugar or any natural sweetener, to add sweetness to this delicious warming drink
Flaked almonds and rose petals, for garnish. You can also use just some chopped nuts to garnish.
A note on dried dates– To use dried hard dates (chhuare) in this recipe, simply add them whole or roughly crushed using mortar and pestle , when roasting the nuts and let them simmer with the milk. They naturally soften a bit as the milk heats, releasing their gentle sweetness and warming, nutritious goodness into the drink. But these are quite chewy and do not become as soft as other soft dates . Hence i have mentioned these as optional. Totally skip them or add regular soft pitted dates.
How to Make Besan Doodh (Sudka / Dodhi)
Roast the besan:
In a small pan, heat ghee on low flame. Add besan and roast gently, stirring continuously, until it turns aromatic and golden (2–3 minutes).
Mix the spices:
Mix in turmeric and black pepper, and sauté for a few seconds.
Add nuts and dates:
Add the chopped nuts and dates, and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
Pour in the milk:
Slowly add milk, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens slightly and comes to a gentle boil.
Add saffron:
Add saffron strands directly or soaked in cold milk (if using) and simmer for a minute.
Sweeten and serve:
Add sugar , mix well and pour into mugs. If using honey pour the drink into a mug, let it cool slightly , stir in honey , and serve.
Garnish with flaked almonds and rose petals.
Serve hot, preferably before bedtime, for the most comforting and healing experience.
Besan Doodh recipe | Besan ka Sheera | Dodhi – A Warming Punjabi Winter Drink
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottomed pan prevents the besan from burning
- 1 whisk helps avoid lumps when adding milk
- 1 Big spoon or silicone spatula for roasting , stirring and mixing
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 tsp ghee
- 1 tbsp chickpea flour/ besan
- 1/2 tsp haldi / turmeric use organic if available
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 5-6 saffron strands (optional) dipped in a tsp of cold milk
- Few chopped dried dates Nuts- almonds and cashews roughly chopped
- 2 cups milk dairy
- 2 tsp sugar or honey Adjust as per your preference
Instructions
Roast the besan
- In a small pan, heat ghee on low flame. Add besan and roast gently, stirring continuously, until it turns aromatic and golden (2–3 minutes).
Add the spices
- Mix in turmeric and black pepper, and sauté for a few seconds.
Add nuts and dates
- Add the chopped nuts and dates, and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
Pour in the milk
- Slowly add milk, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens slightly and comes to a gentle boil.
Add saffron
- Add saffron strands directly or soaked in cold milk (if using) and simmer for a minute.
Sweeten and serve
- Add sugar , mix well and pour into mugs. If using honey pour the drink into a mug, let it cool slightly , stir in honey , and serve.
- Garnish with flaked almonds and rose petals.
- Serve hot, preferably before bedtime, for the most comforting and healing experience.
Video
Notes
Tips & Variations
Vegan- This is a traditional drink and the above is the most authentic way to make it . However if you are looking for a vegan version you can replace ghee with coconut oil and use plant-based milk like almond, oat, or coconut.
Sweetness: Other than sugar or honey , you can also use jaggery, shakkar (jaggery powder), maple syrup, or date syrup.
Adjust the richness: Add more or less besan depending on how thick and creamy you like your drink.
Extra warming spices:
- Add a pinch of green cardamom powder for a sweet, aromatic lift.
- Add a pinch of cinnamon powder for deeper warmth and cosy winter flavour.
- Add a pinch of dry ginger powder (saunth) for stronger cold-and-cough relief and deeper heat.
No dried dates? Use chopped soft dates or raisins
Strain for smoothness: If you prefer a smooth drink, strain before serving, and just garnish with nuts later
FAQ’s
Though the besan milk or Dodhi is nutritious and safe to enjoy at nighttime regularly during winters.I would still recommend having it in moderation as it might cause digestive issues to some people who are not used to having this.
Dodhi is highly wholesome and nutritious , but considering the overall ingredients it is sometimes heavy on your gut . If you have it in a large quantity you will feel full, and yes it can replace your main meal. However the best way to consume it is after and hour or so of your dinner. Keep the dinner light , and then have a small mug of this besan milk before bed.
Besan milk (besan doodh / dodhi / sudka) is very good for health, especially in winter. It’s one of those traditional Punjabi remedies that is both nutrient-dense and comforting, and modern nutrition agrees with most of its benefits.
The combination of turmeric, black pepper, and warm milk helps reduce inflammation, clear mucus, and soothe the throat.
Yes — even the simplest version (just besan, turmeric, ghee, and milk) is effective and comforting.
It is rich, nutty, and mildly sweet with hints of turmeric and saffron — like a cozy, spiced velvety , dessert drink !
Dried hard dates (often called chhuara / chuware in Hindi & Punjabi) are whole dates that have been naturally sun-dried until they become firm, dry, and chewy — quite different from the soft Medjool or fresh dates we usually eat.
These have been used since ancient times in ayurvedic Indian recipes.
Their moisture is removed naturally, making them hard, dry, and shelf-stable.
These are quite hard and chewy, unlike other regular soft dates.
This Besan Doodh — or as we fondly call it, sudka or dodhi — is one of the best winter warmer drinks. It’s nourishing, delicious, and full of age-old wisdom that still works wonders today.
Whether you’re down with a cold, craving something cozy before bed, or simply want a healthy winter drink, this golden mug will wrap you in warmth and comfort.
So this winter, skip the fancy festive lattes, and try this timeless Punjabi besan doodh — the original golden latte that heals from the inside out.
Love Warm Drinks
If you love warm winter drinks try these drink recipes on the blog- Rose and cardamom infused hot chocolate recipe, Indulgent pumpkin spice hot chocolate recipe, Jaggery Masala tea (Chai)recipe
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