How to make a thick mango lassi with Indian mango pulp, plus the classic sweet lassi and the savoury salted lassi with roasted cumin.
A lassi is a yogurt drink, and it is the best thing to drink with spicy food. The fat and protein in yogurt calm chilli heat far better than water does.
At Biryani Pot we pour sweet and salted lassi. At home, mango lassi is the crowd-pleaser.
The mango matters
Canned Alphonso or Kesar pulp from an Indian grocer gives the deep, floral flavour you remember. Fresh American mangoes work, but add a squeeze of lime and a little more sugar.
Sweet or salted?
Sweet lassi is a treat. Salted lassi, with roasted cumin, is what many people drink every day across North India. Try both.
Recipe
Mango lassi, sweet lassi and salt lassi
Ingredients
Mango lassi
- 1 cup (240 g) canned Alphonso or Kesar mango pulp, or ripe mango flesh
- 1 cup (240 g) cold whole-milk yogurt
- ½ cup (120 ml) cold milk
- 1–2 tbsp sugar, to taste
- A pinch of ground cardamom
- A few ice cubes
Salt lassi (instead)
- 1 cup yogurt, ¾ cup cold water, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp roasted ground cumin, a few mint leaves
Method
- Blend. Blend the mango, yogurt, milk, sugar and cardamom until smooth and frothy, about 30 seconds.
- Adjust. Taste. Add sugar if your mango is tart, or a splash of milk if it is too thick to pour.
- Serve. Pour over ice and serve at once. For salt lassi, blend the yogurt with the water, salt and cumin, and top with crushed mint.
Home-style recipe from the Biryani Pot Indian Bar & Grill Journal. It is not our restaurant's own recipe; for that, visit us.