Punjabi lassi
Lassi: thick, sweet churned yogurt topped with a slab of malai, Punjabi dhaba style
In Amritsar and on the highways across Punjab, lassi comes in a tall steel or brass glass, churned so thick a spoon nearly stands up in it, with a raft of malai (clotted cream) floating on top. It is a summer drink, but Punjabis drink it all year with a stuffed paratha breakfast or after a heavy lunch. This is the plain sweet kind, with no fruit, so the tang of good full-fat yogurt is the whole point. Chef's tip: chill the yogurt, milk and glasses beforehand; cold lassi stays thicker.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb full-fat plain yogurt, ½ cup cold whole milk, 3 tbsp sugar and 6 ice cubes in a deep jug. Add 1 pinch ground green cardamom and ½ tsp rose water if using.
Step 2: Churn with a wooden madhani rolled between your palms, or a hand whisk, for 2–3 minutes, until the sugar dissolves, the ice has chilled it and the top is thick with froth. Over-blending in a machine and using low-fat yogurt are the two mistakes that give thin, watery lassi.
3 minStep 3: Pour into tall glasses, spoon 4 tbsp malai or clotted cream on top and serve at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does punjabi lassi take?
- About 5 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of full-fat plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cold whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
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