Masala Lassi – The Indian Thirst Quencher

Masala lassi is the predecessor of sweet lassi and salted lassi. So let me first share how it differs from sweet and salty lassis.

Masala Lassi v/s Sweet Lassi v/s Salty Lassi

Let me tell you that all three of them are different in taste. They may look similar in texture, but there is a difference.

The taste of masala lassi is sweet, peppery and minty. It is because of sugar, black pepper, cardamom, and nutmeg powder. The word masala (spice) in the masala lassi is due to the black pepper. All in all, these special lassis are a tasty combo of various tastes.

Needless to say, why sweet lassi is sweet. Further, there’s no spice in sweet lassi. It is plain and straightforward authentic white lassi. On the contrary, salted lassi has no sugar but rock salt to give a savoury taste. To add a woody flavour, we also have roasted and crushed cumins in salty lassi.

Hence, the three lassis differ in taste and slightly in texture. So now, let’s move on to the making process.

Making बाजार जैसी लस्सी at Home

The difference between your lassi and the बाजार वाली lassi is the thickness. The second difference is the making process which is a bit traditional. I mean, the shopkeepers use commercial machinery to churn curd. Instead of purchasing it readymade from milk dairies, they make curd all by themselves.

All this helps them control the taste and texture of lassi. Not only control but keep the taste and texture uniform throughout the day. The question is how you will do that.

Now to make बाजार जैसी lassi at home, you need to keep a few things in mind.

First, use sweet curd, also referred to as Punjabi dahi. Second, chill it for a couple of hours to get the desired texture. Third, limit the water and ice cubes to maintain a thick consistency.

Access water or ice cubes will destroy the thickness. As a result, it will look more like a milkshake instead of a lassi.

The next step is to churn the curd.

But why churn curd in the first place? The answer is to make it smooth and thick. Although you can do this using a blender, hand beater, whisker, mixer or even wooden churner, still I love churning my curd using a spoon. Yeah, just a spoon. Try it.

Once your curd is smooth, add all the ingredients. Your masala lassi is ready. Garnish it with almonds or roasted cumin powder, and enjoy.

Masala Lassi Extra Shots

Let’s make this quick and easy lassi more interesting. Follow the tips below.

• Use sweet and chilled curd. Sour curd is not the ideal ingredient here.
• You can increase or decrease the amount of sugar depending on your taste.
• Nutmeg powder is strong in taste and aroma. Hence, control the quantity.
• Almonds are only to garnish the lassi. You can skip them altogether.
• Add chilled milk instead of ice cubes or chilled water to enrich the taste.

Masala Lassi FAQs

Since we are making typical बाजार वाली lassi, there are a few queries that I have answered for you.

So now, let’s move on to the ingredients and steps of making the masala lassi.