RAG Demo

Tag: Summer drink

  • Sweet Punjabi Lassi

    Lassi is the drink of the Punjab countryside, once churned in tall clay matkas with a wooden madhani and drunk by the brass glass after a morning in the fields. Amritsar's lassi shops serve it in steel tumblers so thick a spoon nearly stands up, crowned with a layer of fresh malai and sometimes a dab of white butter.

    Sweet lassi is creamy, cold and gently tangy, with sugar balancing the sourness of the curd. Full-fat curd is non-negotiable; it gives the drink its body. A pinch of cardamom or a few drops of rose water is common, but the purest versions keep it to curd, sugar, ice and malai, churned until frothy.

    It is drunk with heavy breakfasts like chole bhature or aloo paratha, or on its own on a hot afternoon as a cooling drink. In summer, a glass of lassi after lunch is followed, inevitably, by an afternoon nap. At Amritsar stalls it is churned to order in big steel pots and handed over with the malai piled high.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseBeverage
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time0 minutes
    Total time10 minutes
    Serves2
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientscurd / sugar / malai

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups thick full-fat curd, chilled
    • 4 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
    • 1/2 cup chilled milk or cold water
    • 1/4 tsp green cardamom powder (optional)
    • A few drops of rose water (optional)
    • 6 to 8 ice cubes
    • 4 tbsp fresh malai (cream skimmed from boiled milk)
    • A few chopped pistachios to garnish

    Method

    1. Make sure the curd is well chilled and not too sour; a day-old homemade curd is ideal.
    2. Put the curd and sugar in a deep jug or bowl. Churn with a wooden mathani, or a hand whisk, for 2 to 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the curd turns smooth and frothy.
    3. Add the milk or water, cardamom and rose water, and churn another minute. The lassi should be thick but pourable.
    4. Add the ice cubes and churn briefly once more so the lassi gets very cold and develops a foamy top.
    5. Taste and adjust sugar.
    6. Pour into tall glasses. Spoon 2 tbsp of malai on top of each and sprinkle with pistachios. Serve immediately.

    Tips

    • A blender works but over-blending makes the lassi thin; pulse in short bursts.
    • For a quick malai substitute, lightly whip a little fresh cream.
    • Hanging the curd for 30 minutes first gives an extra-thick, Amritsari-style lassi.

    Serve with

    Aloo paratha, chole bhature or a hot summer afternoon.

  • Sol Kadhi

    Sol kadhi is the signature drink of the Konkan coast, served at the end of a Malvani or Goan meal to cool the palate after spicy fish curries. It combines thin coconut milk with an extract of kokum, the dried rind of a coastal fruit, which turns the mixture a pretty pale pink. It is never cooked, so it keeps the fresh flavour of coconut.

    The taste is gently tart, creamy and savoury, with a sharp note from raw garlic and green chilli and freshness from coriander. Kokum is believed to aid digestion and cool the body, which is why coastal families drink it in summer and after heavy meals. The colour comes entirely from kokum.

    In Malvan and Ratnagiri restaurants it is served in glasses alongside the thali or poured over steamed rice. It keeps for a day in the refrigerator, though the coconut milk may separate; stir before serving. Some versions temper it with cumin and curry leaves, though the raw version is most common in Malvan.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMalvani
    DietVegan
    CourseBeverage
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time0 minutes
    Total time20 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientscoconut / kokum / garlic / green chilli

    Ingredients

    • 10-12 dried kokum petals
    • 1 cup warm water for soaking kokum
    • 2 cups freshly grated coconut
    • 2 cups warm water for coconut milk
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1 green chilli
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
    • 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Soak the kokum petals in 1 cup warm water for 30 minutes. Squeeze them well in the water to release colour and sourness, then strain and discard the petals.
    2. Grind the coconut with garlic, green chilli and 1 cup warm water to a fine paste.
    3. Strain through a muslin cloth or fine sieve, squeezing hard to extract the first coconut milk.
    4. Return the coconut residue to the blender with the remaining 1 cup warm water, blend again and squeeze out a second, thinner extract. Combine both.
    5. Stir the kokum extract into the coconut milk gradually; it will turn pale pink. Add salt and sugar and taste for a balance of sour and creamy.
    6. Garnish with coriander and chill for 30 minutes. Stir before pouring into glasses.

    Tips

    • Do not heat sol kadhi; boiling makes the coconut milk split and lose its fresh taste.
    • Kokum agal (concentrate) works in a pinch: use about 2 tbsp and adjust to taste.
    • Canned coconut milk diluted with water can substitute, but fresh coconut gives far better flavour.

    Serve with

    Steamed rice and a Malvani fish thali, or as a digestive after the meal.