Golden Milk Recipe with Golden Turmeric Paste | Breath of Fire

Name: Golden milk (turmeric milk)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1 jar of golden paste (about 30 cups)
Cuisine: Indian, Ayurvedic
Ingredients: ½ cup (60 g) organic turmeric powder; 1 cup (250 ml) water; 1½ teaspoons black pepper; 5 tablespoons virgin coconut oil; 250 ml milk of your choice per cup; 1 pinch of cinnamon; Optional: fresh ginger, honey or maple syrup

A warm cup between the hands. The colour of the sun. A little pepper, a little cinnamon. Golden milk is the evening drink of many Kundalini yogis, after long hours on the mat. Here is our recipe, starting with the golden paste that keeps two weeks in the fridge.

Cup of golden milk with turmeric, cinnamon and black pepper — Golden milk: warm milk, golden turmeric paste, a pinch of cinnamon.

Golden milk, a nectar from Ayurveda

Golden milk, also called turmeric milk or haldi doodh, is a traditional Ayurvedic drink, part of Indian culture for centuries. Its key ingredient is turmeric, the yellow spice of Indian cooking, used in Ayurveda for thousands of years.

The first time I tasted golden milk was at the European Kundalini Yoga Festival in France. After hours of practice, the warmth of that cup did me a lot of good. Since then, it has been one of my favourite hot drinks, especially in winter.

Golden milk recipe

Step 1: the golden paste

Makes one jar · 15 minutes · Keeps 2 weeks in the fridge

½ cup (about 60 g) organic turmeric powder
1 cup (250 ml) water
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons virgin coconut oil

In a small pan, mix the turmeric and the water. Heat gently, stirring, for 7 to 10 minutes, until you get a thick, smooth paste. Add a little water if it becomes too dry.
Off the heat, add the black pepper and the coconut oil. Stir well.
Let it cool, then store in a clean glass jar in the fridge.

Step 2: one cup of golden milk

1 cup (250 ml) milk of your choice: almond, oat, rice, cashew, coconut or cow's milk
1 teaspoon golden paste
1 pinch of cinnamon
Optional: 2 cm fresh ginger, finely grated; a little honey or maple syrup

Heat the milk gently without boiling.
Add the golden paste (and the ginger) and whisk until smooth.
Add the cinnamon. Sweeten to taste once off the heat.

Why black pepper and coconut oil?

Turmeric's main compound, curcumin, is poorly absorbed on its own. Piperine, found in black pepper, is known to increase its absorption considerably, and curcumin dissolves in fat. That is why the traditional recipe always combines turmeric, pepper and a fat.

Why drink golden milk?

Curcumin is widely studied for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In Ayurveda, turmeric is valued for supporting digestion and the joints, and golden milk is a warming, soothing drink for the evening.

After a long practice or a demanding day, a cup of golden milk before bed is a simple ritual: the body relaxes, the mind slows down. That is what we love about it, more than any promise.

It also pairs well with a kitchari mono diet, as a warm drink in the evening.

Sohang yoga top and Sohang pants in saffron brushed organic cotton, Breath of Fire — Sohang top and pants in saffron, the colour of turmeric. See our saffron yoga clothes

Frequently asked questions

Can I drink golden milk every day?

Yes, one cup a day is a common, gentle habit. There is no need for more.

When is the best time to drink it?

Most people drink it in the evening, about an hour before bed, for its warming, relaxing effect.

Can I make it without coconut oil?

Yes. Replace it with ghee, or use a full-fat milk. Keep a fat in the recipe: it helps the turmeric to be absorbed.

Is golden milk safe for everyone?

In the amounts used in cooking, turmeric is well tolerated. If you are pregnant, take anticoagulants or other medication, or have gallbladder or liver issues, ask your doctor before drinking it regularly.

Turmeric stained my clothes. What can I do?

Turmeric dyes cotton easily. Rinse the stain in cold water straight away, wash as usual, then dry the piece in direct sunlight: the sun fades turmeric stains remarkably well. Practical if you love your white yoga clothes.

A spoon of gold. A warm cup. The day can end.

Join our community and receive inspiration on yoga, movement, and conscious living — plus exclusive offers.

Once you have signed up, go to your inbox to receive the discount.

What you wear matters. The texture against skin. The breath that moves freely. Pieces that soften with the years.

Our clothes are certified organic cotton, knitted and sewn in Portugal in small batches since 2009. Natural fibers. Slow craft. Clothing for those who pay attention to what touches the body.

Near Porto, in Portugal, two small family businesses work side by side for us. The first, in one village, knits our organic cotton from scratch and dyes it to our specifications. The second, in the next village, cuts and sews. We have been visiting both every year since 2009. We know the people by name. We share meals when we visit. They have watched our collections grow alongside their own children.

During the Covid years, when organic cotton and bamboo became briefly impossible to source in Portugal, we found a second family workshop in Turkey — also ethical, also certified, also personal. About 5% of what we make passes through their hands today. The Mizar Kimono and a few Lilac pieces from past collections come from there.

Most yoga brands buy fabric from a market — pre-made rolls, ready to cut. We don't. Every meter of jersey we use is knitted from scratch to our specifications. That is why the Sohang feels the way it does. That is why a five-year-old pair softens instead of wearing thin.

A slower way of making clothes. Sometimes inconvenient. Always worth it.

Sustainability for us is not a marketing department. It is a series of small, sometimes annoying choices we have made since 2009.

We chose certified organic cotton when it was 40% more expensive than conventional or plastic fabrics. We still pay that premium today. We grow without external capital which means we cannot afford to overstock, so we don't. We use every meter of yarn we order, even when it means smaller runs and longer waits. We are 100% self funded and all the money is placed in ethical funds in a local bank.

We focus on evergreen pieces, the Sohang, the Amrit, the Amba instead of seasonal collections. Some of these designs are over a decade old and still our bestsellers. A garment worn for ten years on a body is the most sustainable thing a fashion brand can make.

Our fabrics are dyed with processes gentle enough for a baby's skin. We package in either recycled or biodegradable bags. We ship from our small warehouse in Cully (Switzerland) or our partner in Germany, never overseas.

We don't tick every box. We are not perfect. But these are the choices we make, and we make them visible.

We work with three fabrics. Three. Not thirty.

Brushed Organic Cotton Jersey (220g, made in Portugal) soft, slightly thick, with a peach-skin touch. Our flagship. The Sohang, Yamala and Mahan are knitted from this.

Mercerized Organic Cotton Jersey (180g, made in Portugal) lighter, smoother, with a subtle natural sheen. Our new Essence Collection uses this for models like Ankaa, Nashira, Maia.

Bamboo Viscose blended with Organic Cotton (made in Turkey) cool, breathable, fluid. Used for the Lilii pants and the Mizar Kimono. Bamboo regrows in three to five years, without replanting and without irrigation.

Most pieces include around 8% certified elastane, enough to hold shape over years of wear, without losing breath.

We use every meter of yarn we knit. What we don't sew, we save for repairs and samples. Nothing goes to waste.

Three generations of women.

My grandmother Johanna sewed evening dresses by hand. Long, careful, beautiful work, a kind of patience that has all but disappeared.

My mother, Cornelia, learned from her. In 2004, she founded Breath of Fire. The very first piece she designed, the Sohang, was created on the floor of her living room in Switzerland, with a yoga teacher friend named Christina. It is still our flagship today.

Today, I ( Pernelle) run the brand. I do not redesign what works. I extend it. The Essence Collection, launched in 2025, sits beside the Evergreen line. New silhouettes, same intention.

We do not design for trends. We design for the body in practice, for the moment when the breath deepens, when the posture lengthens, when you forget what you are wearing.

That is the test of a piece. Forgetting it on. Returning to it.

Search

Cart

Golden Milk Recipe: the Turmeric Drink of Kundalini Yogis