Milk & Malt Drinks

This category covers the powders that go into milk, or become milk, within the tea, coffee and drinks department. Many of them are the drinks people grew up with in Colombo, Chennai, Lahore and Dhaka, and they are still bought for children and for the grown-ups who never stopped.

Plain milk powder, the base of Sri Lankan kiri thé and of soft gulab jamun, milk barfi and kulfi, is kept with the sweet-making staples in baking, sugar and desserts. Malt drinks are powders based on malted barley, wheat and milk, usually flavoured with chocolate or vanilla and stirred into warm milk.

Hot chocolate and milkshake powders make a mug of cocoa or a cold banana or chocolate shake. Nutrition drinks are fortified milk powders made for particular age groups and needs, and the label on each tells you who it is for and how to serve it.

Always mix powders into lukewarm liquid first and whisk before topping up with hot milk, which stops lumps forming. Close the lid tightly after every scoop, keep the tin in a cool, dry cupboard, and check the pack for how long it keeps once opened.