Nothing Quenches Thirst Like a Lassi
Ramadan's most refreshing drink is sweet, salty and so simple. Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Published Feb. 26, 2025 Updated Feb. 26, 2025
Imagine gathering around the dining table, stomach empty and throat dry, eyes fixed on the clock as it inches toward the relief of iftar, the fast-breaking evening meal. For Muslims, this — patience, restraint and dreams of the next bite of food — is the daily rhythm of Ramadan, the month of fasting from dawn to dusk, which begins Friday evening.
Hydration is especially essential when fasting. But next to the savory, flavorful samosas, kebabs and other salty, rich options at iftar, water feels boring, even if you're abstaining from it all day.
Homemade lassi is a great alternative. The drink's origins can be traced back to the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, and it's been consumed for more than 1,000 years, with good reason. The simple yogurt-based refreshment, blended with sweet or savory ingredients, is versatile, easy to make, and especially ideal for slaking thirst any time of year.
Here are tips for making an especially good batch:
Dahi, an Indian yogurt easily found at South Asian supermarkets, is the ideal choice for both texture and flavor. It's creamier than more readily available plain, whole yogurt and, while still tangy, it has a subtle sweetness and an almost slightly savory quality. That said, plain whole-milk yogurt will work well. For thicker, creamier yogurt, leave the container in the back of the fridge for a week to separate from the whey. Then measure out the yogurt, leaving the whey behind.
Originally, lassi was made with water and yogurt poured back and forth between jugs to aerate and blend. Therefore, many recipes will call for thinning the yogurt with water, then chilling it in the fridge. But, blending the yogurt with ice speeds the cooling process and froths the drink, all while adding body. Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
There's a lassi for everyone, whether your tastes lean sweet or savory.
Salted lassi is one of the most popular styles. Using Himalayan pink salt promotes hydration, but standard kosher or table salt similarly achieves the signature flavor. Black salt, or kala namak, adds a sulfuric flavor. Other additions include cumin seeds and chaat masala. And in South India, curry leaves, fresh cilantro, green chiles and even asafetida, also known as hing, are blended in.
Sweet lassi, in its simplest form, mirrors salted lassi but relies on granulated sugar rather than salt. Aromatic additions like cardamom, rose water, saffron and nuts can enhance the flavor. Fruit lassi often using similar spices as sweet lassi, but adds in fresh or frozen fruit, as in strawberry lassi, or fruit pulp, a common choice for mango lassi.
To make either style, start with a base recipe and adjust, adding different spices, extracts or fruit, or a combination, as desired. Then, let the blender do the work. Since there aren't many other ingredients at play, start with less of the flavorings than you think you might need, adding more after tasting the first blend.
One thing is nonnegotiable, though. Lassi is best served chilled, so keep ice and frozen fruit on hand to quickly blend some up at a moment's notice. And when serving lassi to a crowd, consider chilling the glasses and serving pitchers ahead of time — stainless steel is great choice for maintaining the chill — so everyone, fasting or not, gets a true taste of just how refreshing lassi can be.
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