Lassi

Lassi   is a popular and traditional yogurt-based drink of the Indian subcontinent. It is made by blending yogurt with water and Indian spices. Traditional lassi (also known as salted lassi, or, simply lassi) is a savory drink sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin while sweet lassi on the other hand is blended with sugar or fruits instead of spices.
In Dharmic religions, yogurt sweetened with honey is used while performing religious rituals. Less common is lassi served with milk and topped with a thin layer of clotted cream. Lassis are enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment, mostly taken with lunch. With a little turmeric powder mixed in, it is also used as a folk remedy for gastroenteritis.

About

Pakistani cuisine is as diverse as its people. Among the drinks or beverages consumed in Pakistan, lassi, is quite popular. It is a traditional Pakistani dairy beverage, originally from Punjab, made by blending yoghurt with water, salt, and spices (depending on the type of lassi) until the drink becomes frothy. It is consumed by over one billion Asians throughout the world. With its smooth, cool and refreshing taste, it is the perfect accompaniment to the hot and spicy flavours that epitomise Pakistani cuisine. This traditional drink is economical and plentiful in Pakistan, where cows and buffalo provide an overflow of dairy-based recipes. Traditional lassi is sometimes flavoured with ground roasted cumin. In Punjab lassi sometimes uses a little milk and is topped with a thin layer of malai, clotted cream. Lassi is enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment. With a little turmeric powder mixed in, it is also used as a folk remedy for gastroenteritis.

Lassi was once the preserve of India's Maharajas. It is mentioned in ancient Indian texts and was widely used in Hindu rituals. In old times, people would have lassi because they wouldn't get hungry quickly afterward; and they could wait until lunch to eat again. Tart and refreshing, lassi serves to cleanse the palate alongside spicier foods. It aids digestion and is a healthy addition to any balanced diet. Lassi is 100 per cent natural and is free from artificial colourings, preservatives and flavourings. Besides offering health benefits, lassi is also indulgent and can be enjoyed with or between meals.
There are many types of lassi that are now available. Sweet lassi is a more recent invention, and has become immensely popular. Rose water is a common ingredient for sweet lassi and adds a sweet, perfumed aroma. Sweet lassi can be flavoured with any fruit of choice like mango, pineapple, banana, lychee, strawberry, etc.
The traditional lassi is a salty yoghurt drink which has a thicker consistency as compared to buttermilk. It can be savoured with various spices and ingredients, but it almost always includes ground cumin powder.
Salty lassi is not only extremely easy and quick to make but also very refreshing and cooling to beat the heat of summer.

Salted lassi

This form of lassi is more common in the villages of Punjab. It is prepared by blending yogurt with water and adding salt and other spices to taste. The resulting beverage is known as salted lassi. This is similar to ayran or doogh.

Sweet lassi

Sweet lassi is a form of lassi flavored with sugar, rosewater and/or lemon, strawberry or other fruit juices. Saffron lassis, which are particularly rich, are a specialty of Sindh in Pakistan and Jodhpur and Rajasthan in India. Makkhaniya lassi is simply lassi with lumps of butter in it (makkhan is the Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu word for butter). It is usually creamy like a milkshake.

Mango lassi

Mango lassi is most commonly found in India and Pakistan though it is gaining popularity worldwide. It is made from yogurt, water and mango pulp. It may be made with or without additional sugar. It is widely available in UK, Malaysia and Singapore, due to the sizable Indian/Pakistani minority, and in many other parts of the world. In various parts of Canada, mango lassi is a cold drink consisting of sweetened kesar mango pulp mixed with yogurt, cream, or ice cream. It is served in a tall glass with a straw, often with ground pistachio nuts sprinkled on top.



Bhang lassi

Bhang   lassi is a special lassi that contains bhang, a liquid derivative of cannabis (marijuana), which has effects similar to other eaten forms of cannabis. It is legal in many parts of India and mainly sold during Holi, when pakoras containing bhang are also sometimes eaten. Rajasthan is known to have licensed bhang shops, and in many places one can buy bhang products and drink bhang lassis.