Indian yogurt drinks are very popular in India and the entire region. But, these yogurt-based drinks go well beyond lassi, even if there are some amazing Desi Natural Lassi recipes that you can make in your own home.
These drinks are popular in India for a variety of reasons. Not only are they delicious, but they’re also very nutritious. They can cool you down on extremely hot days, and keep you going with the nutrients that they are packed with.
These drinks, such as Alphonso mango lassi, can keep you hydrated and keep your body cool.
Yogurt is a staple ingredient in Indian cuisine, and that goes for their drinks as well as meals that they eat. It’s a great source of calcium, probiotics and protein, making it a healthy addition to any meal.
In addition, yogurt is considered to be a symbol of purity in Indian culture, and it’s often served as a refreshing drink. Here are some innovative yogurt-based drinks beyond lassi.
Exploring Indian Yogurt Drinks
Lassi is the most common Indian yogurt-based drink. Its traditions span generations, and is undoubtedly the most cherished and popular way to serve yogurt in a drink form.
However, there are many other different types of drinks that have a yogurt base, making them equally as refreshing and nutritious to your body at the same time.
Mattha/Chaas
Mattha, or chaas, is a classic Indian summer drink that’s made with yogurt, spices and fresh herbs. The base of this drink is buttermilk, which is where it gets most of its nutrition from. Some may be wondering the similarities of Lassi vs chaas, and there are some, but there are differences, too.
Added to the buttermilk base are a blend of spices and herbs that can include roasted cumin seeds, curry leaves, sugar, salt and mint.
Mattha is a great way to stay hydrated and cool during the peak of summer, when the heat rises. There’s no strict recipe to Mattha, which allows you to add your own twist to suit your taste buds.
Sharbat
Sharbat is a sweet cordial drink that’s prepared from flower petals or fruit. Typically speaking, it’s served chilled.
The fun part about Sharbat is that it can be served two ways. It can either be concentrated and then served to be eaten with a spoon. Or, you can dilute the recipe so that it becomes a drink.
Many popular forms of Sharbat include ingredients such as fruits — orange, lemon and mango are common — fresh rose petals, sandalwood, basil seeds and rose water.
Salted Lassi
Salted lassi only takes a few ingredients to make, which means that it’s very easy for you to make in your home. All you really need is the ingredients and a blender.
Instead of sugary drinks — which can be delicious but actually dehydrating in hot weather — opt for salted lassi. There are many different recipes for salted lassi, which is a unique flavor combination of mint and cumin. You can also add chili powder if you want to give it a little kick.
Salted lassi is extremely popular in India, because it’s perfect for the hot summer days.
How to make a refreshing drink perfect for hot summer days
It will only take a few steps to make a refreshing drink that’s perfect for hot summer days.
Simply blend together water and yogurt to whatever your desired thickness is. Then, add a mixture of spices — again, you can choose which ones to use based on your taste buds — along with green chilli, ginger, sugar and salt.
Blend this whole mixture together until it’s smooth. Then, taste it to see if you need to adjust the seasoning at all. When you’re satisfied with the flavor and texture, simply pour it over ice and enjoy it ice cold.
The Health Benefits of Fresh Ginger in Yogurt Drinks
As you can see, many Indian yogurt-based drinks incorporate ginger into the recipe. In addition to adding a slightly spicy and delicious flavor, there are many health benefits that fresh ginger in yogurt drinks provides.
How fresh ginger enhances the flavor and nutrition of yogurt drinks
Fresh ginger is one of the most aromatic spices in the world, especially when its freshly grated. When it’s added to yogurt-based drinks, it gives a surprisingly flavor and wonderful smell that instantly draws you in.
Ginger is also known to aid in digestion and to reduce nausea. These are two potentially important factors in hot and humid weather.
To get the best flavor out of ginger, you should grate and/or blend fresh ginger into your drink.
Tips for incorporating fresh ginger into your yogurt drink recipes
There are many different ways that you can incorporate fresh ginger into your yogurt drink recipes.
Slicing ginger really think and adding it to your yogurt will give it an extra — and potentially unexpected — kick. That’s because while ginger is quite delicious, it’s also a little spicy.
You can treat ginger as honey or sugar, and use it in your recipes as a substitute. Not only will this change the flavor profile, but it will make the drink even healthy.
One thing to note is that ginger can be quite powerful. So, experiment with adding different amounts of ginger to your drinks to find the perfect flavor for you. Start small and then add a little at a time until your drink tastes like you would want it.
Other Indian Yogurt Drinks to Try
There are many other great Indian yogurt drinks that you should try.
Sharbat-e-Golab
Sharbat-e-Golab drives from the word “sharbat,” which essentially is a drink of water and sugar. It’s an iced drink that comes from Persia.
While the taste of this drink is hard to describe — because it’s so unique — it’s incredibly delicious, cooling and refreshing, which makes it perfect for hot summer days.
Sharbat-e-Golab is a syrup that’s made from flower extracts, fruit and/or herbs that are then diluted with sugar, ice and water.
Experimenting with different flavors and ingredients to create unique yogurt drinks
Like any food, it’s great to experiment with different flavor and ingredient combinations to make unique yogurt drinks that are to your liking.
Some easy ways to customize your drink is to add different spices, such as coriander or cumin, to create a unique flavor. You can even experiment with different types of milk as your base, creating non-dairy yogurt drinks that are made from coconut or almond milk, for example.
And, no matter what your preferences are, consider adding a splash of lemon juice or other citrus fruits for a refreshing twist.
