I suggest you prepare a wonderful Indian cooling drink based on yoghurt - lassi. There are a great many variations of lassi. But the base is always the same - yogurt, water and ice. Basically, this is the lassi recipe. But due to various additives, lassi turns out to be salty, sweet, spicy or simply aromatic. Try this drink and it will forever remain in your family's diet.
Today I will show you two lassi recipes - with chocolate and with ginger. Calories are given for two drinks, so judge for yourself what a healthy and dietary drink it is. You can vary the spices and additives to your liking, you can add cucumbers, herbs, paprika, syrup, berries and any other ingredients. Try it and enjoy!
So, for the first lassi recipe, let's take natural yogurt, water, dark chocolate and almond petals.
Grate the chocolate on a fine grater (if you have milk chocolate, freeze it in the freezer).
Prepare ice in advance.
Add ice and yogurt to the water.
Add grated chocolate on top.
We blend our ingredients with a hand blender.
Lassi with chocolate is ready! Garnish with almond petals and chocolate on top and serve immediately. Great iced chocolate lassi is a cooling and gentle drink. Help yourself!
Now let's cook the lassi with ginger and cardamom. We need 100 ml of yogurt, 200 ml of water, ice, 0.5 tsp. sugar and 1 tsp. cardamom.
You can grind the cardamom yourself in a coffee grinder or use a ready-made powder. I ground a few pods, sifted, it turned out not as thin as in the finished powder. I added half a teaspoon of both.
Grate the ginger on a fine grater.
Mix 100 ml of yogurt, 200 ml of water, ice, ginger and cardamom. Beat everything with a blender.
Lassi with ginger and cardamom is ready! Serve this wonderful aromatic drink immediately! Indians know a lot about cooling drinks, try it too. In the hot season or in fasting it is simply salvation and pleasure. Lassi is a healthy and tasty drink. Help yourself to your health!
Strained yogurt (suzma, dekhin)
In the culinary traditions of the world, there are dishes, the main ingredient of which is fermented milk products (kefir, yogurt, syuzma, etc.). These products are diluted with liquid (mostly pure water) and consumed in this form in the summer. I will tell you about some dishes a little later, but for now I will focus only on drinks and try to talk about the most important thing.
With the spread of the Internet on all continents, the most famous such drink is probably lassi, which is now sometimes referred to as the fashionable and second-popular word "smoothie" :) Given that in different regions have their own similar traditional dishes... For example, ayran also known to many outside their region. I used to think that it is prepared in the same way as lassi: yogurt (katyk) is whipped with water. Then in different sources I read that you get a good ayran if you whip up strained yogurt with water, which, for example, is called "suzma" in the Caucasus, and "dekhin" in India. By the way, lassis can also cook like that.
A "semi-finished product" for such ayran is simply prepared, many culinary experts know about it: put the cloth (gauze) in a depression (in a colander, in a bowl, etc.), put yogurt on it, let the whey drain. I like to keep yogurt in cheesecloth on weight, on a suitable kitchen hook. Then it is covered with a cloth from all sides, does not dry out, and the whey flows down under its own weight of yogurt. This process can take several hours (depending on the amount of yoghurt), resulting in a soft and tasty curd mass (see title photo). By the way, it can be dried, then the syuzma will be called "kurut" ("kurt").
Beat this "curd" with water and get a healthy home ayran... Naturally, you need to drink (or even eat) it fresh. Proportions: often more liquids are taken, pure water is preferable and not necessarily mineral. Aromatic herbs (fresh or dried) and salt can be added.
Homemade ayran on suzma (strained yogurt). My proportions: 3 parts water, 1 part suzema. Additives: salt, dried mint.
Talk about lassie you also need to start with yogurt. Yoghurt is a winter product by its properties, so lassi is practically the only form in which yoghurt can be consumed without damage to health in the warm season, and even then not all the time. Actually, this applies to all fermented milk products: their nature is warm, they have warming properties, therefore 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 have been passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, those who are far from them, it seems that such dishes can be prepared as you like.
So, lassie... The homeland 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 turn to Ayurvedic texts or go for a consultation with a practicing Ayurvedic doctor. It is such a doctor who can suggest individual proportions and additives for a particular person.
It has long been proven, recommended and constantly confirmed in practice that it is undesirable to combine yogurt with sour fruits, milk, melons, nuts. Therefore, I do not consider lassi recipes, which 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 trendy pistachios - it is better not to use them for making lassi. In addition, from time to time you come across stories from chefs that, in combination with similar fruits, both milk and yogurt are curtailed, which means that the cooking technology is disrupted, which can cause our body to suffer. When, for example, we cook cottage cheese with lemon juice, this is one thing, but when we add lemon juice to the finished product, this is another.
As for fruit lassis, in India it is no coincidence that they first of all choose mango... Where the lassi is made by hand, the mango is first mashed and then whipped with yogurt and water. A ripe and sweet mango is a fruit that, when used correctly, balances all doshas (Vata, Kapha and Pitta), i.e. suits everyone. However, in the same India, this fruit can be removed in season directly from the tree, that is, it must be absolutely ripe! Only in this case will he show his positive traits... Green or unripe mangoes act the other way around: they can just unbalance all doshas and seriously harm the body. A drink ("aam panna") is also prepared from such fruits, but they are previously 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 in order not to harm your body. Naturally, we are all different and each organism is individual. Someone can consume foods that are incongruous in their 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 cooked dish may one day affect someone the way it should have done long ago :)
If, as a result of a chemical reaction, known to us from school years, the acid is neutralized by alkali with the formation of water and salt, then in culinary dish no matter how much sugar you put in, the acidity of tomatoes, strawberries or kiwi will not disappear. Cooking is a slightly different chemistry. I will remember about such combinations when I talk about yogurt soup.
Lassi and similar drinks are really refreshing in summer. We can 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, yoghurt with water is whipped by hand with special wooden devices, just like many centuries ago.
Photo: www.vegrecipesofindia.com
Before I tell you how best to cook lassi, I want to dwell on one point. Just the other day I was faced with a question from a series of "translation difficulties": what gender does the word "lassi" refer to in Russian?
"Chutney, Lassi, Jalebi, Punjabi" etc. - each of these words must be approached individually. Borrowed words usually retain the genus to which they belong in their own language, but sometimes they adapt to the characteristics of a foreign language. We all fought for "black coffee" for a very long time, but in the end two forms were legalized: both masculine and neuter. The ending "e" constantly confused everyone and strove for the middle gender itself. The same happens with the listed words that came to us from the territory of India: if someone wants to use the words "lassi" or "chutney", harmonizing them in the neuter gender, this is his right. For the rest, nothing prevents them from coordinating them with the masculine words. The same recommendations are found in modern dictionaries: both masculine and neuter is allowed.
For example, according to one definition, chutney is "sauce", which means that the masculine gender is justified. According to another definition - "traditional Indian spices", so the form of "chutney" does not change during plurallike other similar words. For example, "I made some chutneys and some lassis."
If by the word "lassi" we mean "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, "yoghurt lassi" is generally difficult to pronounce, but "yoghurt lassi" is quite. These are the features of the Russian language.
I do not study oriental languages \u200b\u200band have never asked such questions. Therefore, I have nothing against if orientalists ever pay attention to this question :) I'll just tell you how to cook lassi in such a way as to get the maximum benefit for yourself.
Simple, one might even say, classic lassi with cardamom and rose water.
Lassi can be cooked not only with yoghurt, but also with buttermilk, and it can also be “sweet” (meethi) or “salty” (namkeen). In each case, the appropriate ingredients are added, including spices. By the way, in addition to lassi, ordinary, if I may say so, refreshing drinks are popular in India: for example, jeera pani, nimbu pani - they look like lemonade. Naturally, in India, fruit juices are also prepared according to the season, but the technology for their preparation is also not entirely familiar to us.
As for lassi, even the modern inhabitants of India can find different combinations of ingredients, not to mention the inhabitants of other regions. But let's not forget: where is India and where are we. Our mango does not grow, we are not used to salted lassi with cumin since childhood, we cannot quickly find an Ayurvedic doctor who will understand that the problem in the body has arisen due to the constant misuse of a yoghurt drink :) Therefore, for those who really care about my health or the health of my 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 in a simpler way, and "tasty" does not always mean "healthy" :)
The classic ingredients for lassi are yogurt and water, which 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 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 latter proportion is thicker, heavier and warmer than the first two.
If we consider traditional recipes for making ayran, we will notice the same. Drinks prepared in these proportions can also aid digestion, however, they are not recommended to be consumed after sunset. Lassi is also not recommended for use if the body is hypothermic or exhausted. And one more important condition: for the preparation of the drink it is better to take fresh yogurt (no older than 2-3 days), then the positive qualities of the lassi will appear brighter.
Classic supplements that can both aid digestion and, in turn, reduce negative impact a similar drink - salt, cumin (zira), black pepper and even butter (makhan, "Indian white butter", or ghee, melted butter). For meethi lassi in the warm season, the use of rose water, cardamom, sugar, which have cooling properties, is characteristic. Sometimes honey is used (as we remember, it has a 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, ground kernels from 1/2 cardamom pod.
Preparation:
1. Grind cardamom seeds in a mortar;
2. First I beat the yogurt itself so that it got a smooth consistency (I cook lassi without a blender, beat it with a whisk). In the same way, you can prepare a drink from syuzma (dekhin): first, it is advisable to grind / beat the curd mass until smooth;
3. Added sugar and water, beat it all over again;
4. Added cardamom, rose water and beat again. A good lassi always has a nice foam "hat" on top :)
The result is a light drink that is pleasant for summer day and digestion.
I will tell you how I prepared such a dish with fruits next week, in the article on 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 enter into disputes about this. Each of us has our own head on our shoulders :)
The article was prepared for
Today we are preparing lassi! You've probably already heard about it, but if not, you need to urgently fix it! WHAT IS LASSY? Lassi is the pearl of Indian cuisine!
It is a simple yogurt-based drink with added spices and / or fruits and is very popular in India. It is light, refreshing, and in hot weather is the perfect breakfast or snack option. The benefits of lassi.First, 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 that help maintain the bacterial balance in the digestive system. It also contains a lot of calcium, which is essential for healthy bones. Today we give you basic recipe a lassi that you can experiment with. We will also provide many sweet, spicy and fruity variations for you to 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:
Whisk all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Taste and add more seasoning as needed.
Variations:
- Sweet lassi: 2 teaspoons or sweetener
- Mango Lassi: Add 1 cup ripe mango cubes and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- Savory 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!
A wonderful drink Lassi is a traditional Indian delicacy that perfectly refreshes in the midday heat and incredible heat. There are many interpretations of this recipe: the drink is prepared with chocolate, bananas, mango, citrus, ginger. And that's not all! It is most likely simply impossible to enumerate all of Lassie's interpretations. After all, the drink is made spicy, spicy, sweet, salty. But no less popular are versions with a neutral taste, but an unsurpassed aroma. At the same time, Lassi can be safely attributed not only to pleasant drinks, but also incredibly healthy. After all, you can easily vary the ingredients at your own discretion, adding paprika, herbs, berries, syrup or even ... cucumbers. But the main thing is to take basic products for the foundation. In Lassi it is ice, water and yogurt. Experiment! Surely you will be able to find exactly that version of Lassi, which will become the most beloved in your family.
Cooking time - 15 minutes.
Servings Per Container - 4.
Ingredients
To make the Indian drink Lassi according to the proposed recipe, you do not need any extremely rare ingredients. Everything you need to prepare an original refreshing drink, you can always buy at the nearest store. So, here are these products:
- ice - 4 cubes;
- cardamom - 1 tsp;
- yogurt - 100 ml;
- ginger - root 2 cm long;
- water - 200 ml;
- granulated sugar - 1 tsp.
On a note! If you wish, you can always refuse granulated sugar in the drink or replace it with honey.
How to make Indian Lassi
If you have never cooked Lassi before, or even hear about such an oriental drink for the first time, do not despair. It will not be difficult for you to cook it yourself at home. The essence of preparing a drink is extremely simple. To all other, step by step recipe with a photo will help you avoid various culinary mistakes, which in this situation are simply difficult to imagine. Also below are several video clips, in which the whole sequence of creating such an appetizing drink with a refreshing and invigorating taste is set out in the most detailed and understandable way. Well, let's get started?
- So, the first step is to prepare all the ingredients that will be required during the preparation of Lassi according to the recipe from India. It should be noted right away: be as scrupulous as possible when choosing yogurt. Give preference to natural formulations without unnecessary dyes, preservatives and additives. Keep the base clean. Otherwise, flavor enhancers and flavors will simply destroy all the charm of natural spices.
- Then evaluate the condition of the spices separately. Cardamom can be used in powder. But if you want to really reveal the full flavor of this spice, then grind it yourself in a coffee grinder. A few pods will suffice.
Note! But don't forget to sift the spice afterwards.
- Next, you should do ginger. It will need to be peeled and grated. Use the device with the smallest or "sharpest" cells. Such a grater allows you to get just such a ginger gruel, which will be ideal for preparing the Indian drink Lassi.
- What do you need to do next? Everything is elementary simple here! It remains to combine the components that make up this original oriental drink with refreshing and tonic notes. It is necessary to prepare suitable dishes. 200 ml of clean drinking water is poured into it (let it be slightly cool). Chopped ginger is sent to her. 100 ml of natural yogurt is poured there without all kinds of additives and dyes. Don't forget to add ice. The composition should be diluted with cardamom. The resulting mixture is mashed using any hand blender or food processor.
- In fact, this completes the preparation of Lassi with ginger. If you wish, you can dilute the drink with honey or granulated sugar.
Indians serve the drink immediately. After all, it is then that he will allow you to get rid of not only thirst, but also from heat.
Video recipes
If you have never been to India and do not know how to make a real Lassi drink, use the suggested video recipes. They will allow you to diversify your drink menu and make it more useful:
Step 1: Cooking the lassi.
Option 1: Cooking sweet lassi. There are much more options for sweet lassi than salty, but we will cook the most delicious, and therefore the most common. So let's get started, you need to peel the washed mango from the skin, cut and remove the bone - and the pulp is already in front of you, you just need to chop it. Leave a couple of slices for the cocktail glass. Place the mango pulp and ice in a blender bowl and grind them. You are now ready to mix your cocktail. Pour kefir into a shaker, add sugar and spices, as well as chopped mango pulp and ice. Shake it a few times - the lassi is ready! Option 2: Cooking a salty lassi.
For the salty lassi, I used a different milk base to show you everything possible ways preparation of this drink. Grind the ice in a blender and then transfer it to a shaker. Add all the other ingredients and shake the shaker several times. Now you're done! Step 2: Design and serve the lassi.
Pour the finished cocktail into glasses and decorate them. Decorate the sweet mango lassi with a slice of mango, and the salty lassi with mint leaves. It is best to serve the cocktail for breakfast or lunch; it is not recommended to use this drink in the evening. Quench your thirst with Milk Indian Lassi! Bon Appetit! Yogurt half diluted with water is ayran. Try making a lassi from a store-bought ayran or tan. Remember that tan is only suitable for making salted lassi.
A spice mixture is often added to lassi. Not all listed in the recipe are used. In special shops you can buy a mixture of spices "Dry Perfume", which includes cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, anise, nutmeg. These spices perfectly set off the taste of kefir.
You can change not only the given composition of the lassi, but also the amount of its ingredients. You can change the taste of the lassi as you wish.
Very good cocktails with a taste of mint, as well as banana and almond. Try it and see!
