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Nut Milk in India

Cashew & Almond · 16th Century · Mughal Empire, India

The story of nut milk in India is a tale of two empires colliding. When Portuguese traders brought the cashew tree from Brazil to the shores of Goa in the 16th century, they could not have imagined that Indian cooks would transform this New World nut into the foundation of some of the subcontinent's most beloved dishes—nor that the ancient Mughal tradition of almond milk would merge with this newcomer to create an entirely new culinary tradition.

The Ancient Tradition of Badam Doodh

Long before the cashew arrived, India possessed its own rich tradition of nut milks. Badam doodh—almond milk infused with cardamom, saffron, and rose water—has been prepared in the Indian subcontinent for centuries. The Mughal emperors (1526–1857) elevated this preparation to an art form in their royal kitchens. Akbar the Great's court historian, Abu'l-Fazl, documented the elaborate beverages served at imperial feasts, including almond-based drinks flavoured with precious spices. These were not merely refreshments but symbols of imperial power and refinement—the saffron alone ranked among the world's costliest goods by weight.

The Portuguese Connection (16th Century)

The cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) is native to northeastern Brazil, where indigenous peoples had consumed its fruit and nut for millennia. Portuguese colonists, recognising its value, transported the tree to their colonies in Goa, India, around 1560. The tropical climate of coastal India proved ideal for cashew cultivation, and within a century, the tree had spread across the Malabar Coast, Kerala, and Karnataka. Indian cooks quickly saw what the newcomer could do in a kitchen: when soaked and ground, it produced a cream far richer and more neutral in flavour than any other nut—perfect as a base for gravies, sweets, and beverages.

The Mughal Fusion

In the grand kitchens of the Mughal court, the newly available cashew slotted straight into existing culinary traditions. Cashew paste replaced or supplemented almond paste in kormas, creating silkier, richer sauces. Cashew paste became the base for kaju katli (cashew fudge), one of India's most popular sweets. The Lucknowi nawabs developed elaborate cashew-based beverages, while Bengali confectioners used cashew cream in their legendary sandesh and rasgulla. This fusion of Portuguese-introduced ingredients with Mughal culinary sophistication created dishes that are today considered quintessentially Indian—proof of what cultural exchange can create.

Ayurvedic and Nutritional Significance

In Ayurvedic medicine, India's ancient healing tradition, nut milks are classified as 'sattvic' foods—pure, harmonious substances that promote clarity of mind and vitality of body. Almond milk is prescribed for strengthening 'ojas' (vital energy), while cashew preparations are recommended for building tissue and supporting reproductive health. Modern nutritional science confirms many of these traditional claims: cashews are rich in magnesium, copper, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. The Ayurvedic integration of nut milks into daily health practice is one of the world's oldest systematic approaches to plant-based nutrition.

India's Modern Plant Milk Boom

Today, India is experiencing a plant milk revolution driven by its large vegetarian population, rising lactose intolerance awareness, and environmental concerns about industrial dairy farming. Indian brands like Raw Pressery, Goodmylk, and Altlife are producing cashew, almond, and oat milks for a market projected to reach $300 million by 2027. Yet for millions of Indian families, nut milks never went away—badam doodh remains a nightly ritual, cashew cream still enriches festival curries, and the tradition of plant-based dairy stretches back unbroken through the centuries.

In the royal kitchen, the cashew becomes cream, the almond becomes silk, and the cook becomes an artist.Adapted from Mughal culinary tradition

Legacy

India's nut milk tradition shows how easily good cooking crosses borders. A Brazilian nut, carried by Portuguese ships, transformed by Mughal cooks, and validated by Ayurvedic wisdom—cultures combined to make something none of them could have made alone. Every cashew korma and every glass of badam doodh still carries the memory of that long convergence.