Lassi Recipe
Lassi is a refreshing yogurt drink from the Indian subcontinent. It is enjoyed with a meal or as a refreshing beverage.
Lassi is a refreshing yogurt drink from the Indian subcontinent. It is enjoyed with a meal or as a refreshing beverage.
- 2 cups yogurt (or curd)
- 1 cup water ((adjust as desired))
- 3 tbsps sugar
- â¼ to â½ tsp cardamom powder (or elaichi powder)
- 1 tsp rose water (optional)
- pinch saffron strands or kesar (optional)
- 1 tbsp chopped nuts ((for garnish optional))
- â½ tsp roasted cumin powder (or roasted jeera powd
- â¼ tsp salt ((use as needed))
- 2 pinches chaat masala ((optional))
- â½ to â¾ cup mint or pudina ((use as needed))
- â½ tsp cumin powder (or roasted jeera powder)
- 2 tbsps lemon juice ((use as needed))
- 1 tbsp sugar ((optional))
- â¼ tsp salt ((or as needed))
- â¼ green chili deseeded ((optional))
- Carbohydrate 14.997 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (15g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 14.997 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 58 calories
Step-by-step
- Add curd to a large bowl and whisk it well.
- To make sweet lassi, add sugar, cardamom powder and saffron.
- Whisk well. Pour water and whisk until frothy. Transfer to serving glasses and garnish with chopped nuts.
- To make salt lassi, add salt and cumin powder. Whisk and pour water. Whisk again until frothy.
- To make mint lassie - Add curd, water, salt, sugar, mint leaves, lemon juice and chili to a blender.
- Blend until frothy. Pour to serving glasses.
- Lassi is best served chilled.
Yogurt provides the structural foundation of any proper lassi, acting as both the emulsifier and the primary source of body that holds the liquid components together without separating. Whisking the curd thoroughly in a wide bowl before introducing water incorporates mechanical air into the dairy proteins, generating the signature frothy top layer that distinguishes a carefully prepared beverage from a simple blended drink. When adjusting the ratio of water to dairy, keep in mind that thinner consistency requires less chilling time to reach optimal refreshment, whereas thicker blends retain their cold temperature significantly longer in the glass.
Adapting this formulation for dietary restrictions requires understanding how alternative milks behave under high-speed agitation. Plant-based yogurts made from almonds or cashews lack the natural casein structure found in dairy curds, meaning they will not achieve the same persistent foam unless supplemented with a thickening agent like a quarter teaspoon of xanthan gum per batch. Coconut milk yogurt introduces a distinct tropical profile that overpowers delicate additions like rose water or saffron, making it better suited for preparations featuring roasted cumin and fresh mint.
Substituting the sweetener or acid components alters the chemical balance and alters how the palate perceives the spices. Granulated sugar dissolves most reliably when added directly to the undiluted curd before the water goes into the vessel, preventing undissolved grit at the bottom of the glass. Honey or agave syrup can replace white sugar at a one-to-one volumetric ratio, though liquid sweeteners demand vigorous mechanical whisking for at least forty-five seconds to integrate fully with cold fat molecules.
Serving temperature dictates the overall balance of spices, as extreme cold mutes aromatics while room-temperature service highlights pungent notes like raw green chili and roasted cumin powder. Storing leftover portions in glass jars sealed tightly with a lid preserves freshness for up to twenty-four hours in the refrigerator, though separation will occur naturally and necessitates a secondary whisking before consumption.
