Lassi is a popular Indian drink of Punjabi origin. It is prepared on the basis of yogurt with the addition of water, salt, sugar, spices, fruit and ice by quickly whipping. Widely distributed in northern India and Pakistan, where it is used as a refreshing drink during the hot season.
There are many options for preparing lassi (with mango, with banana, with strawberries, with cumin, with ice cream, with cream, salted lassi, etc.). There is even Bhang lassi, which is infused with hemp tincture.
There are differences of opinion about the origins of the soft drink lassi (besides its popularity in India, it is no less popular in Pakistan). But still, lassi is considered an Indian drink, primarily because Pakistan, in fact, was part of the Indian space, and besides, the immediate place of origin of lassi, Punjab, is located on the border between India and Pakistan.
The primary purpose of lassi is, of course, to cool down, and only then to quench your thirst. Almost all Indian drinks, due to climatic conditions, are designed to perform a cooling function. Lassi is a kind of classic version of drinks consumed in the heat. In any Indian family, it is considered an obligatory tradition to offer lassi when welcoming a guest, and lassi invariably accompanies almost any Indian meal. Moreover, lassi is ideal option muting the pungency of spices, which richly season any Indian dish (spices are also added to the drink itself).
Lassi can be called the progenitor of all cocktails. The diversity and versatility of the recipes for this drink opens up unprecedented opportunities for culinary masterpieces. You can add absolutely any components to such a cocktail: fruits, honey, nuts, berries, various spices, juices, rose water, etc. This drink can be consumed either on its own or serve as the basis for various dishes.
The process of making lassi is very simple and quick. The selected ingredients are chopped, filled with yogurt and water, the selected spices are added, everything is whipped, and ice is added before serving. The whole process will take no more than five minutes, and the variety of recipe options will allow you to create the most unpredictable compositions.
In addition to all the advantages of lassi, there are also negative aspects. First of all, the drink is prepared on the basis dairy product, and, therefore, it must be consumed immediately; such a product cannot be stored. It is not recommended to drink this drink at night due to possible gastrointestinal upset (after all, natural yogurt is known for its laxative properties). Despite all the disadvantages, the demand for lassi in Southeast Asian countries is constantly growing, not only among the indigenous population, but also among the majority of tourists.
In modern conditions, the need to manufacture products with a long shelf life is becoming increasingly urgent. Thus, in India, as well as abroad, a lassi drink is produced, which is hermetically packaged, so that it can be consumed for several months from the date of production. But, undoubtedly, fresh lassi prepared at home cannot replace any drink from a factory jar.
Recipe
- natural yogurt
- milk 3.2%
- ground cardamom
- mango 1 pc.
- Peel ripe mango, remove the pit and chop coarsely. Transfer to blender.
- Add yogurt, milk and honey. It is better to take thicker yogurt, Greek is fine. Skimmed milk will be produced after churning. Honey is optional.
- Beat everything with a blender.
- Pour into glasses. Sprinkle ground cardamom on top. If desired, chill in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before serving.
We have already prepared yogurt based, and today we offer you a more unusual, no less tasty, and what’s interesting is an incredibly healthy lassi drink! This is a traditional Indian smoothie that combines whipped yogurt with ice water. It is recommended to drink this drink in the first half of the day; It is believed to aid digestion, have a tonic effect and help withstand heat.
There are a huge number of lassi recipes. Spices, vegetables, berries and fruits are common additions to this cocktail; the most traditional ones are mango, sugar and rose water; Accordingly, a distinction is made between sweet and unsweetened lassi.
Method of preparing lassi
Lassi is always prepared the same way: ice water is added to the yogurt, they are whipped and supplemented with fruit puree and ground spices. As a rule, all ingredients are placed in a blender bowl and blended at the same time.
Crushed ice can be used instead of water.
Sweet lassi
Banana lassi
250 ml yogurt;
2 tbsp. lemon juice;
0.5 tbsp. crushed ice;
honey as desired and to taste.
Blend all ingredients except ice with a blender; add ice and stir with the same blender until the ice turns into fine crumbs but does not dissolve.
This lassi can be topped with lemon zest, nutmeg or cinnamon.
Lassi with rose water
1 liter of yogurt;
750 ml ice water;
250 ml crushed ice;
6 tbsp. sugar (can be replaced with honey);
a quarter teaspoon of ground cardamom;
a few drops of rose water (to taste).
First, beat all ingredients except ice; then use a blender to stir the almost finished lassi with ice.
Unsweetened lassi recipes
Traditional salty lassi
1 liter of yogurt;
750 ml ice water;
250 ml crushed ice;
1 green fresh chili (pre-chopped);
1 tsp caraway seeds (roast and grind the seeds);
3 tbsp. lemon juice;
2 tsp salt.
Place all ingredients, except ice, in a blender bowl and blend until smooth. Then add crushed ice and beat until foam appears.
Soft lassi
For some reason, this cocktail is called soft, probably due to its particularly mild taste. The point is that instead of cold water milk is used here.
250 ml yogurt;
250 ml cold milk;
1 tsp caraway;
2 tsp lemon juice;
0.5 tsp salt;
half a glass of crushed ice;
0.5 tsp mint (optional);
a pinch of cayenne pepper (also optional).
Roast and grind the cumin; In a blender, mix all the ingredients of the lassi until smooth.
This unusual, nutritious and refreshing drink is sure to please both you and your family. Especially for children! Add berries and fruits, grated chocolate and nuts, be surprised and rejoice at the culinary result! Enjoy your meal with lassi!
Eva Cascio specifically for the site
2014, . All materials posted on this site belong to its owners and are protected by copyright and related rights. Copying, in whole or in part, is prohibited.
Strained yogurt (Suzma, Dekhin)
In the culinary traditions of the world, there are dishes whose main ingredients are fermented milk products (kefir, yogurt, suzma, etc.). These products are diluted with liquid (mostly clean water) and consumed in this form in the summer. I’ll talk about some of the dishes a little later, but for now I’ll focus only on the drinks and try to talk about the most important things.
With the spread of the Internet on all continents, the most famous such drink is probably lassi, which is now sometimes called the fashionable and newly popular word “smoothie” :) Despite the fact that different regions have their own similar traditional dishes. For example, ayran is also known to many outside his region. I used to think that it is prepared only in the same way as lassi: yogurt (katyk) is whipped with water. Then I read in various sources that a good ayran is obtained by whisking strained yogurt with water, which, for example, is called “Syuzma” in the Caucasus, and “Dekhin” in India. By the way, lassi can also be prepared this way.
The “semi-finished product” for such ayran is prepared simply, many chefs know about it: place a cloth (gauze) in a recess (in a colander, in a bowl, etc.), put yogurt on it, and let the whey drain. I like to keep the yogurt suspended in cheesecloth on some suitable kitchen hook. Then it is covered with a cloth on all sides, does not dry out, and the whey drains under its own weight of yogurt. This process can take several hours (depending on the amount of yogurt), the result is a soft and tasty curd mass (see the title photo). By the way, it can be dried, then suzma will be called “kurut” (“kurt”).
Beat this “curd” with water and get healthy homemade ayran. Naturally, you need to drink (or even eat) it fresh. Proportions: often take more liquids, preferably pure water and not necessarily mineral. You can add aromatic herbs (fresh or dried), as well as salt.
Homemade ayran with syuzma (decanted yogurt). My proportions: 3 parts water, 1 part syuzma. Additives: salt, dried mint.
Talk about lassi You should also start with yogurt. Yogurt, by its properties, is a winter product, so lassi is practically the only form in which yogurt can be consumed in the warm season without harm to health, and even then not all the time. Actually, this applies to all fermented milk products: their nature is warm, they have warming properties, so they are good in the cold season. That is why in the summer they are diluted with water and even whipped. These are wise traditions that are passed on from generation to generation. Unfortunately, those who are far from them think that such dishes can be prepared any way they like.
So, lassi. The birthplace of the drink with this name is India, where it is very popular in the north, in Punjab. Therefore, if you are looking for information about its properties and effects, it is better to consult Ayurvedic texts or go for a consultation with a practicing Ayurvedic doctor. It is such a doctor who can suggest individual proportions and supplements for a particular person.
It has long been tested, recommended and constantly confirmed in practice that it is undesirable to combine yogurt with sour fruits, milk, melons, and nuts. Therefore, I do not consider lassi recipes that include milk or fruits that have a pronounced sour taste. It is also undesirable to combine banana with milk and yogurt. Kiwi, strawberries, cherries, pears, gooseberries, various citrus fruits and even fashionable pistachios - it is better not to use them for making lassi. In addition, from time to time you come across stories from culinary specialists that when combined with such fruits, both milk and yogurt curdle, which means that the cooking technology of the dish is disrupted, which can cause damage to our body. When we, for example, prepare cottage cheese using lemon juice, this is one thing, but when we add lemon juice to the finished product, this is another.
As for fruit lassi, it is no coincidence that the first choice for them in India is mango. Where lassi is made by hand, the mango is first pureed and then whisked together with yogurt and water. Ripe and sweet mango is a fruit that, when consumed correctly, balances all doshas (Vata, Kapha and Pitta), i.e. suitable for everyone. However, in India, this fruit can be picked directly from the tree during the season, i.e. it must be absolutely ripe! Only in this case will he show his positive traits. Green or unripe mangoes have the opposite effect: they can unbalance all the doshas and seriously harm the body. A drink (“aam panna”) is also prepared from such fruits, but they are first boiled in a certain amount of water and then the appropriate ingredients are added.
These are the natural properties of products that you just need to know about so as not to harm your body. Naturally, we are all different and each body is individual. Someone can consume products that are incompatible by nature for a long time and will not complain about anything, while someone may feel discomfort after the first experience. However, human nature is the same everywhere, therefore the recommendations of Ayurvedic doctors are valid on all continents, and an incorrectly prepared dish may one day affect someone the way it should have done long ago :)
If as a result chemical reaction, known to us from school years, the acid is neutralized by alkali to form water and salt, then no matter how much sugar you put in a culinary dish, the acid of tomatoes, strawberries or kiwi will not disappear anywhere. Cooking is a slightly different chemistry. I’ll remember similar combinations again when I talk about yogurt soup.
Lassi, and similar drinks, are really refreshing in the summer. You could say that they really are more food than drink. In India, there are even special “lassi shops” where this dish is constantly prepared. Very often, yogurt and water are whipped by hand using special wooden devices, just like many centuries ago.
Photo: www.vegrecipesofindia.com
Before I tell you the best way to prepare lassi, I want to make one point. Just the other day I was faced with a question from the “difficulty of translation” series: what gender does the word “lassi” belong to in Russian?
"Chutney, lassi, jalebi, punjabi" etc. - each of these words must be approached individually. Borrowed words usually retain the gender to which they belong in their own language, but sometimes they adapt to the characteristics of a foreign language. In our country, everyone fought for “black coffee” for a very long time, but in the end they legalized two forms: both masculine and neuter. The ending “e” constantly confused everyone and tended to become neuter on its own. The same thing happens with the listed words that came to us from the territory of India: if someone wants to use the words “lassi” or “chutney”, agreeing them in the neuter gender, that is his right. Nothing prevents others from coordinating them with masculine words. The same recommendations are found in modern dictionaries: both masculine and neuter gender are allowed.
For example, according to one definition, chutney is a “sauce”, which means the masculine gender is justified. Another definition is “traditional Indian seasonings”, so the form of “chutney” does not change in plural, like other similar words. For example, “I made some chutneys and some lassis.”
If the word “lassi” means “drink”, “cocktail” or “drinking yogurt”, then the agreement in the masculine gender is also justified. According to my observations, in Russian, combinations like “strawberry lassi” (masculine) are used more often than “strawberry lassi” (neuter). For example, “yogurt lassi” is generally difficult to pronounce, but “yogurt lassi” is quite easy. These are the features of the Russian language.
I don’t study oriental languages and have never asked such questions. Therefore, I have nothing against if orientalists ever pay attention to this issue :) I’ll just tell you how to prepare lassi in such a way as to get the maximum benefit for yourself.
A simple, one might even say classic, lassi with cardamom and rose water.
Lassi can be prepared not only with yogurt, but also with buttermilk, and can also be “sweet” (meethi) or “salty” (namkeen). In each case, appropriate ingredients are added, including spices. By the way, in addition to lassi, ordinary, so to speak, refreshing drinks are popular in India: for example, jeera pani, nimbu pani- they look like lemonade. Naturally, in India they also prepare seasonal fruit juices, but the technology for their preparation is also not entirely familiar to us.
As for lassi, even modern residents of India can find different combinations ingredients, not to mention residents of other regions. But let’s not forget: where is India and where are we? Mangoes don’t grow here, we’re not used to salty lassi with cumin since childhood, we can’t quickly find an Ayurvedic doctor who will understand that the problem in the body arose due to the constant misuse of yogurt drink :) Therefore, for those who really care about For your health or the health of your children, I would still recommend not looking for “delicious lassi recipes” or “milkshakes”. The effect of lassi and milk is better if they are prepared more simply, and “tasty” does not always mean “healthy” :)
The classic ingredients for lassi are yogurt and water; they can be combined in different proportions depending on the season and the person’s constitution. For example, 0.5 cup yogurt + 0.5 cup water, 1/4 cup yogurt + 3/4 cup water, or 3/4 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup water. For those who are familiar with Ayurveda: when combined with certain spices and other additives, the first proportion is more suitable for Vata and Pitta, the second for Kapha. The last proportion is thicker, heavier and warmer than the first two.
If we look at traditional recipes for preparing ayran, we will notice the same thing. Drinks prepared in these proportions can also help digestion, however, they are not recommended to be consumed after sunset. Lassi is also not recommended to be consumed if the body is hypothermic or exhausted. And one more important condition: to prepare the drink, it is better to use fresh yogurt (no older than 2-3 days), then the positive qualities of lassi will appear more clearly.
Classic supplements that can both aid digestion and, in turn, reduce negative impact a similar drink - salt, cumin (jeera), black pepper and even butter (makhan, “white Indian butter”, or ghee, clarified butter). For meethi lassi In the warm season, it is typical to use rose water, cardamom, and sugar, which have cooling properties. Sometimes honey is used (as we remember, it has warm energy; see). For rose water, see.
Lassi in my photo: yogurt and water 1:1, plus 1 tsp for 1 glass of drink. rose water, 1 tsp. sugar, crushed grains from 1/2 cardamom pod.
Preparation:
1. Grind cardamom seeds in a mortar;
2. First, I whipped the yogurt itself so that it got a smooth consistency (I prepare lassi without a blender, I beat it with a whisk). You can prepare a drink from suzma (dekhin) in the same way: first, it is advisable to grind / beat the curd mass until smooth;
3. Added sugar and water, beat everything again;
4. Added cardamom, rose water and beat again. A good lassi always has a beautiful foamy “cap” on top :)
The result is a light drink, pleasant for a summer day and pleasant for digestion.
I’ll tell you how I prepared a similar dish with fruit next week, in an article about yogurt soup.
In this article about drinks, I expressed my personal opinion, based on the study of world culinary and medical traditions. Since every village and even every family also has its own traditions, I am not going to get into arguments about this. Each of us has our own head on our shoulders :)
The article was prepared for
Today we are making lassi! You've probably already heard about it, but if not, you need to fix it urgently! WHAT IS LASSI? Lassi is the pearl of Indian cuisine!
It is a simple yogurt-based drink with added spices and/or fruits that is very popular in India. It is light, refreshing, and in hot weather it is an ideal breakfast or snack option. Benefits of lassi. Firstly, lassi is amazing for your immune system as it is rich in vitamin D and lactic acid. Lassi is actually very beneficial for your digestive tract. Since it is based on yogurt, the drink is rich in probiotics, which help maintain bacterial balance in digestive system. There is also a lot of calcium, which is essential for bone health. Today we are giving you a basic lassi recipe that you can experiment with. We also provide many sweet, spicy and fruity variations so you can choose your favorite.
How to cook lassi
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
1 glass of water
1/2 cup ice cubes
1 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
Beat all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Taste and add more seasonings as needed.
Variations:
- Sweet lassi: 2 teaspoons or sweetener
- Mango Lassi: Add 1 cup ripe mango cubes and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- Spicy Lassi: Roasted cumin seeds, grind and add 1/2 teaspoon while whisking
- Spicy Lassi: 2-3 thin slices of ginger, 2 slices of chili and 1/8 cup chopped cilantro
- Banana lassi: 1 banana
- Mint Lassi: 1/2 teaspoon dried mint
- Papaya Lassi: 1 cup papaya slices and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom.
Cook with love!
Lassi is an Indian refreshing drink classic version prepared by churning yogurt, water, spices, fruit and ice. We can say that lassi is an Indian diet shake. This drink not only perfectly quenches thirst, but also hunger, and also promotes digestion.
Lassi recipes
Lassi:
- 1 liter of fermented baked milk or yogurt;
- 3 glasses of water;
- 6 tbsp. granulated sugar;
- ice in cubes.
Cool the water and mix with fermented baked milk, sugar and cardamom. Beat the mixture with a mixer. Serve chilled with ice cubes.
Simple lassi with syrup:
- 200 ml natural yoghurt;
- any syrup to taste;
- sugar to taste;
- ice in cubes.
Add syrup and sugar to yogurt and beat everything well. Cool and serve.
Lassi with mango:
- 150 ml natural yoghurt;
- 75 ml milk;
- 1 mango.
Peel the mango, cut into pieces, blend in a blender and rub through a sieve. Then mix the resulting pulp with yogurt and milk. Cool and ready to serve.
"Mithi" lassi:
- 4 cups of yogurt;
- 3 cups of cold water;
- 2 tsp. rose water (or 3 tbsp lemon juice);
- 6 tbsp. Sahara;
- 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom seeds;
- crushed ice.
Dissolve sugar in a small amount of warm water and mix it with the rest of the ingredients. Beat the mixture with a mixer or a simple whisk. Serve chilled in glasses with ice.
Lassi with chocolate:
- 50 g milk chocolate;
- ground almonds for decoration;
- ice in cubes.
Cool the chocolate and crush it into crumbs, mix the yogurt with chocolate and ice and beat in a blender until foam appears. Pour the finished lassi into glasses and garnish with ground almonds.
Banana mango lassi:
- 2 glasses of natural yogurt;
- 3 bananas;
- 1 mango.
Mix all ingredients in a blender.
Lassi with spices:
- 2 tbsp. water;
- 1/2 tbsp. natural yogurt;
- 2 tbsp. granulated sugar;
- a small piece of ginger rhizome;
- 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom.
Grate the ginger and combine with the rest of the ingredients. Beat with a blender.
Lassi with blueberries:
- 1 glass of natural yogurt;
- 3 tbsp. blueberries (you can take fresh or frozen);
- sugar and cinnamon to taste.
Instead of blueberries, you can use wild strawberries, strawberries or raspberries. Beat all ingredients well and can be served. This drink reminded us of milk with berries (blueberries and strawberries), which used to be eaten with spoons from bowls in the villages
Lassi with pineapple:
- half a glass of water;
- 1 cup pineapple pulp, diced;
- 2 tbsp. Sahara;
- ice in cubes.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a blender and serve immediately.
Lassi with banana:
- 1 tbsp. natural yogurt;
- 1 banana;
- half a glass of water;
- nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper to taste.
Combine water with yogurt, add fruits and spices, whisk everything with a whisk or blender.
Lassi for a beautiful figure
1) Lassi to improve digestion:
- half a glass of natural yogurt;
- half a glass of water;
- ground ginger, cumin, salt and black pepper to taste.
2) Lassi to stay slim:
- half a glass of natural yogurt;
- half a glass of water;
- ground ginger, cinnamon and red pepper to taste.
In each option, you need to combine all the ingredients and thoroughly beat the resulting mixture.
We have included ice in our lassi recipes, but you can do without it.
If you are not yet familiar with lassi, then be sure to try it - this Indian drink is not only healthy and refreshing, but also very tasty. In addition, children usually like it: if you cannot persuade your beloved child to try yogurt or kefir, then try treating him to lassi