Yogurt Lassi Drink

Lassi is very popular yogurt drink and is proudly served in almost all Indian restaurants. After all, it’s a great “cool-me-down” to accompany any “hot-n-spicy” Indian entrees. There are couple versions of this drink you can make depending what kinds of ingredients are available and what flavors you prefer.

My husband Syed loves having lassi on warm summer days. Likewise,  I love to seethe  grin on his face when he comes home after a long day of work and I welcome him with a glass of chilled lassi.  So this post is dedicated to my lassi-loving hubby!!

Recipe # 1:  Mango Lassi

1 cup low fat Greek yogurt

1 fresh ripe mango, peeled and cubed

½ cup cold water

½ cup skim milk

½ cup mango juice or mango pulp

4 pods of small cardamom

1 tsp sugar

Peel off cardamom pods and remove the black seeds.  Place them on the wooden butcher block. Crush the seeds using rolling pin by gently going back and forth.  The cardamom powder and rest of the ingredients go in the blender. Pour over ice in serving glasses. Garnish with a piece of mango on the rim. 

Recipe # 2 : Mango-strawberry Lassi (when fresh mango is not available)

I always like to use fresh fruit in lassi. However, when fresh mango is not is season, Mango pulp can be used instead . It has natural and artificial flavors and sugar already added . Mango pulp is available in Indian stores and usually sold in tin cans.

Ingredients

1 cup low fat greek yougart

1 cup chopped strawberries

1 cup mango pulp

1 cup cold water

½ cup skim milk

Blend everything together. Pour on ice on a serving glass. Garnish with strawberry on the glass rim.

Recipe # 3: Rose Lassi

2 cups strawberry yogurt ( I like Activia Strawberry yogurt)

1 cup cold water

½ cup rose water or 1 tbsp rose syrup

1 tsp sugar

½ cup skim milk

Few red rose petals for garnishing

Strawberry yogurt will add touch of red/pink we want in this drink. Rose water is available in Indian store, usually it is clear but some pink but always transparent. Rose syrup is sugared and concentrated so use it diligently. Pour lassi over Ice in the serving glasses.  Garnish with a petal floating on top of lassi in each glass.

Optional:

·         If you prefer, you may crush ice with all ingredients to make lassi- smoothies.

·         For adult version of this drink, add vodka instead of skim milk.