It’s finally May and all I want to do these days is make cold blended drinks. So I’ve been wearing out my blender and recently made a wonderful frothy beverage I first posted over 3 years ago: salted lassis. Here is a newly revised recipe for this unexpectedly refreshing drink.
A few years ago, when I posted a recipe for mango and coconut lassis, a commenter suggested I also try salted lassis.
Yes, it took me a while to get around to posting the recipe. In my defense, in the mean time I did try to seek out salted lassi in whenever dining out at Indian restaurants, but I was only able to find a small handful of places that served it. However, salted lassi is incredibly easy to make at home with a blender. And it’s surprisingly refreshing.
I don’t know why we’re ingrained from childhood to equate thirst-quenching drinks with sugar, but this particular salted drink holds up well on its own. A little cumin, some mint, and the optional dash of chili powder makes it sound like an odd drink to sip with a meal, but somehow it works as a refreshment. And the amount of salt here is miniscule compared to what is in Gatorade.
So when the weather finally calmed down last weekend and the thermometer almost reached 70 degrees, I made this, sat on the concrete stoop, and basked in the sun. At least until the afternoon winds picked up again. My environment wasn’t quite India, but after months of chilly weather, it was close enough.
- 4 cups plain, unsweetened, full fat yogurt (I like using Greek yogurt)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- (Optional) ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- Handful of ice cubes
- ⅔ cup loosely packed mint leaves
- Put all the ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth and ice is broken up. Garnish with additional mint if you’d like. Serve and enjoy!
I had this while trying throughout India in the late 90′s. You’re right, definitely refreshing, and I never knew salted drinks could be so good in the heat. I’ll bes sure to try out this recipe soon.
Yum! I could use one right now.
I have tried mango and berry lassis before but never salted. Sounds interested!
I’m not really good with Indian food but I love curry! So what is lassi anyway? Is it coconut milk??
Amy – Lassi is a yogurt drink, with either fruit or spices blended in.
This kind of reminds me of certain Vietnamese soft drinks, like soda with salty lime or salty plum, which take a little getting used to at first, but after awhile go down very smoothly.
I’ve tried a similar salted yoghurt drink in a middle-eastern cafe. It was strange at first, certainly refreshing, but it seemed a tad plainer than what this recipe is made of. I’m quite certain I didn’t pick up on the cumin and mint. Perhaps that is typical only to the indian version of this drink?
I tried this at a local Indian place because of the curiosity provided from your blog post and ended up with an extremely odd concoction. I’m sure it’s probably supposed to taste exactly like what you’ve posted, but the flavour was very strong and almost too salty. Though, watering it down to moru-like consistency was delicious.
Also, avocado shakes are delicious. (Off topic, but just have to thank you for blogging about it a while back.)
Anyway, thanks for posting this – it was an interesting item that I’d never have thought to try before. :)
re: Avocado shake. Thanks so much!
re: Lassi. It’s not supposed to be overwhelmingly salty. Sorry if you had a bad experience! Where was the restaurant?
Lassi is probably the original ‘milksahke’ or smoothie as we know it today. Lassie can be made with any fruit of your choice combined with yogurt and spices. Mango is most commonly used since it is indigenous to India. Strawbeery lassi works just as well by pulping strawberries together with yougurt and some Cardamom.
I had a cardamom-rose petal hot chocolate in San Diego recently and thought that combination would make an excellent lassi (cardamom & a dash of rose water)
I’ve only had mango lassis in Indian restaurants but this was great! The salt and yogurt together is unexpectedly refreshing.