Lassi, Summer Special Drink, a beloved yogurt-based beverage hailing from Northern India, is a delightful blend of curd, water, 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 Sweet Lassi :
Crafting Sweet Punjabi Lassi at home is my joy. This light variant, with enticing cardamom or saffron and nuts, takes just 10 minutes. In Punjab, some feature makhan (unsalted white butter) atop, adding to its richness. While hearty, it’s a delightful, filling choice. Served with a spoon, the creamy makhan precedes sipping this refreshing beverage. For a lighter twist on the classic, enjoy this simple, sweet lassi.
How to Make Sweet Lassi Recipe
Before you begin ensure that the whole milk curd (yogurt) is fresh and not gone sour. I always make lassi with homemade curd.
After the curd is well set and done, I keep it in the refrigerator for a few hours so that it gets cold.
Crush Green Cardamoms
1. First, in a mortar, take 8 to 10 green cardamom pods and crush them lightly. Then remove the husk and crush the seeds.
You can skip these first two steps if using pre-made ground cardamom. Add about 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom to yogurt while blending.
2. Now crush the seeds to a fine powder.
Whisk Curd or Yogurt
3. Then in a bowl or pan, take 2 cups fresh chilled yogurt or homemade curd.
4. Next, with a handheld wooden churner (called madani in Hindi) or an immersion blender or a wired whisk, whip the curd until it becomes smooth.
5. The curd should be smooth before you add other ingredients to it.
Sweeten the Curd and Churn
6. Now add 4 to 5 tablespoons sugar or as needed.
7. Pour 1 cup cold water or cold milk if you prefer. For a thicker lassi, add ½ cup of water or milk or do not add any liquids. For a thinner consistency, add 1.5 cups water or milk.
8. Now begin to churn or blend the lassi mixture with the wooden churner or immersion blender or wired whisk
9. Keep on churning, blending or whisking until the sugar dissolves and you see a nice frothy layer on top.
Apart from using a wired whisk or an immersion blender, another method is to add the lassi ingredients in a blender. Then blend until smooth and frothy.
10. In the below photo you can see a good frothy layer on top.
Add Flavors & Serve Lassi
11. Now add 1 teaspoon of the crushed cardamom powder and 10 to 12 crushed saffron strands.
12. Mix well. Do a taste test and add more sugar if needed.
13. Pour lassi in tall glasses and serve. You can add ice cubes to your lassi if you prefer.
Garnish with a pinch or two of ground cardamom powder, 2 to 3 crushed saffron strands or chopped nuts. Serve this sweet lassi recipe straightaway.
Some people store it in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If you plan to keep it in the refrigerator then do not add ice cubes.
Expert Tips
- Flavorings for sweet lassi: For the sweet lassi recipe, you can add either cardamom powder or rose water or even include 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 three lassi recipes 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) 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 in 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, and 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.