Lassi, a beloved yogurt-based beverage hailing from Northern India, is a delightful blend of curd, water or milk, and a touch of salt, sugar, or spices for a refreshing and flavorful experience.
Lassi offers diverse flavors, ranging from sweet to salty. This probiotic drink, rich in gut-friendly bacteria from yogurt, also explores fruity combinations like Mango Lassi and Strawberry Lassi.
While the sweet variation is popular, some prefer the savory delight of salted lassi. Personally, I cherish the refreshing taste of Mango Lassi.
Ideal for combating the heat in summer, lassi is traditionally prepared using a wooden churner or modern appliances like a blender. Whether blended or whisked, it’s a versatile and cool beverage for all seasons.
Embracing the traditional touch, I opt for the wooden churner to craft lassi. The art of churning fresh homemade curd with this classic Indian hand blender holds a unique charm, imparting a distinct taste to the lassi that sets it apart.
About Salted Lassi :
Contrasting the sweetness of its counterpart, salted lassi is a spiced delight with black salt, cumin powder, and a minty garnish. Embrace the sulfurous notes of black salt or opt for table salt. For a refreshing twist, blend yogurt with mint for Mint Lassi, or keep it simple with yogurt, water, and salt. Earthy cumin and fragrant mint aid digestion, enhancing the salty lassi’s flavor. While resembling Chaas (Indian Buttermilk), salted lassi stands out with its thick consistency compared to buttermilk’s lighter texture.
How to Make Salted Lassi Recipe :
1. Take 2.5 cups yogurt in a bowl or pan.
2. Add 1 cup water to the yogurt. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon black salt and 1.5 teaspoon roasted cumin powder.
If you don’t have black salt then you can substitute it with regular salt or edible rock salt according to your taste preferences.
Tip: To make your own roasted ground cumin, simply dry roast cumin seeds in a small frying pan or skillet until fragrant. When cooled, grind the toasty crispy seeds in a spice-grinder or in a mortar-pestle.
3. With a wired whisk blend everything well till smooth and frothy. Again here I have used the traditional Indian handheld wooden blender, known as madani. You can use an electric blender.
Do check the taste of the salty lassi and add more salt or ground cumin if needed according to your preferences.
4. Pour in glasses. Garnish with mint leaves and serve salted lassi. Ice cubes can be added or you can use chilled yogurt and water to make the salty version.
A light sprinkle of roasted ground cumin, red chilli powder or cayenne pepper and chaat masala on the lassi also tastes good.
Salted lassi is a popular and refreshing traditional Indian drink made with yogurt, water, and salt. It’s a perfect beverage to cool down on a hot day and is often enjoyed alongside spicy meals. Here’s a simple recipe for making salted lassi:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain yogurt (curd or dahi)
- 1 cup chilled water
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black salt (adjust to taste)
- A pinch of asafoetida (hing) – optional
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnish (optional)
- Ice cubes (optional)
Instructions:
- Prepare Yogurt:
- Use fresh, plain yogurt for the best results. If the yogurt is thick, you can whisk it a bit to make it smoother.
- Blend Ingredients:
- In a blender, combine the yogurt, chilled water, roasted cumin powder, black salt, and asafoetida (if using).
- Blend the mixture until it becomes frothy and well-mixed.
- Adjust Consistency:
- If the lassi is too thick for your liking, you can add more chilled water and blend again until you reach your desired consistency.
- Serve:
- Pour the salted lassi into glasses.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves if desired.
- Add Ice Cubes:
- You can add ice cubes to make the lassi even more refreshing, especially during hot weather.
- Serve Cold:
- Serve the salted lassi immediately while it’s cold and frothy.
Salted lassi is a versatile drink, and you can adjust the salt and cumin according to your taste preferences. Some variations include adding a pinch of chaat masala or mint leaves for extra flavor. Enjoy this cooling and savory beverage with your favorite Indian dishes or as a standalone refreshing drink.
Serving Suggestions
Serve lassi as a refreshing drink during daytime or you can choose to serve it as a drink after any Indian meal.
When serving sweet lassi, garnish with some chopped nuts like pistachios or almonds.
Salty lassi can be topped with fresh mint or coriander leaves and a light sprinkling of roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder (cayenne pepper) or chaat masala.
Storage
Store your leftover lassi it in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. No need to add ice cubes if you plan to store.
Expert Tips
- Flavorings for sweet lassi: For the sweet lassi recipe, you can add either cardamom powder or rose water or even including both these flavoring ingredients together work well. You could also choose to skip or include saffron in your sweet lassi recipe. Omit adding any of the flavoring ingredients if you do not have them.
- Consistency: The consistency of all the three lassi recipe is neither thick nor thin. For a thinner consistency, add slightly more water but do not add a lot of water as this will dilute the flavors and the sweetness or saltiness in the lassi. For a thicker lassi, add less water or do not add water at all.
- Sweeteners: For sweet lassi, sugar is the preferred choice of sweetener. But you can opt to add palm sugar (as I have done in the masala lassi) or coconut sugar or jaggery.
- Freshness: For the best lassi experience make sure to use whole milk curd that has not gone sour. The curd or yogurt should be fresh, cold and not rancid. I always make lassi with freshly set homemade curd and keep it the fridge for a couple of hours to make it cold.
- Scaling: All of the three lassi recipes can be doubled or tripled to make a large batch.
FAQs
What makes the sweet lassi recipe a light lassi?
I have not added any cream or makhan. Also I have added water and not milk to the curd while blending it. Hence this is a light lassi recipe and not a heavy one.
Can I add more flavors to the lassi?
Absolutely! There are many variations of lassi. Add strawberries to make Strawberry Lassi. Blend some ripe sweet mangoes and make Mango Lassi. Add some dried rose petals, rose syrup to make Rose Lassi or make a fruit lassi with mixed fruits.
Are lassi recipes always sweet?
No, as you see here I have shared a salty lassi recipe. Lassi has many variations and sweet lassi is the most popular version preferred by many.