Lassi is a traditional South Asian beverage, originally from Punjab, India/Pakistan, made by blending yogurt with water, salt, and spices until frothy. Lassis are enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment. Traditional lassi is salty and sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin. As the use of curd and yogurt was introduced by the Turks in India, it is likely that Lassi actually originated from Ayran, a salted, watery version. The Lassi of the Punjab sometimes uses a little milk and is topped with a thin layer of 'Malai' --- a clotted cream --- also known as Devonshire Cream.

Variations

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Sweet lassi is a more recent invention, flavored with sugar, rosewater and/or lemon, mango, strawberry or other fruit juice. Saffron lassis, which are particularly rich, are a specialty of Sindh and Jodhpur, Rajasthan in India.

Another popular variation on the Lassi is the Mango Lassi, which is orange in color and mango flavored.

The Lassi-like Ayran is also popular on hot summer days in Turkey, where it typically contains only water, salt, yoghurt and sometimes lemon.

In areas of the Middle East including Iran and Lebanon, a similar salty yogurt beverage, named doogh, is popular.

During 2002, commercial products resembling sweet lassi began appearing on the U.S. market, with names like "Drinking Yogurt" and "Yogurt Smoothie".

Bhang Lassi

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Bhang Lassi is a special lassi that contains bhang, a liquid derivative of cannabis, which has effects similar to other eaten forms of marijuana. It is legal in many parts of India and mainly used for religious purposes, particularly during Holi, when pakoras containing bhang are also sometimes eaten. Rajasthan is known to have licensed bhang shops, and in many places you can buy bhang products and drink bhang lassis. Many guidebooks warn foreign tourists against trying Bhang Lassi because of the risks of serious intoxication.

External links

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• Lassi vending machine at Leeds-Bradford Airport in the UK.
• CuisineCuisine.com Sweet, salty, mango and pineapple Lassi recipes.

Dairy products | Fermented foods | Non-alcoholic beverages | Indian cuisine | Pakistani cuisine

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