Lassi
This is the unsweetened variety. The sweet one is delicious but does not really quench your thirst on a hot day. This is the type of lassi that my mother made in summer. It would be kept in a big glass jug in the refrigerator. And we would walk into the house and fill up a glass and it kept us from getting dehydrated . However, the buttermilk those days was made by churning the milk, which would be kept in an earthern jug, to which a little curd had been added the previous night. After 8 hours of fermentation, the contents would be churned and the butter that floated to the top would be removed and the healthy skimmed buttermilk that remained would be seasoned or just left plain.
Curd - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups or more
Salt - to taste
Jeera (cumin) - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida (hing) - 1/8 tsp
Green chilli - 1-2 nos
Ginger - 1/8" shredded fine
Corriander leaves
Optional
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 4-5
I made a dry paste of the jeera, chillie, ginger and added it to the curd.
Add water,asafoetida and salt
And whip in the mixie or blend together
Add finely chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with ice cubes.
Variation:
The chillies, ginger may be diced fine and not ground to a paste. In this case, be prepared to bite into bits of chili and ginger.
To the oil, add mustard and when it splutters add curry leaves and add to the buttermilk.
Another quencher is watermelon juice. I just cut the pieces and blend in a mixie.
Do not add water or sugar.
Strain through not a very fine strainer so as to retain pulp but remove the seeds.
Serve with a dash of lime, mint or chaat masala.
