For the summer months, lassi is the perfect drink to keep you cool and refreshed. It is made primarily from curd or yogurt, sugar or salt, spices, or flavors like green cardamom, saffron, or rose water. In North India and Punjab, lassis are very popular. Mango lassis, dry fruit lassis, and malai lassis are some of the popular variations. These easy, energizing, and flavorful lassi recipes will leave you feeling energized and full of energy.
About This
There is a yogurt drink called lassi that is very popular in the northern regions of India. The drink is made by blending curd or yogurt with water or milk, salt or sugar, and a few spices or herbs.
The recipe for this drink can be made in a number of different ways. Both sweet and salty flavors are used in drink. In addition to being a probiotic drink, This is also made from curd or yogurt, which contains helpful bacteria for the digestive system.
Yogurt and fruit are also used in its preparation. There are two fruity variations of lassi I have shared with you previously – Mango and Strawberry Lassi.
Traditionally made using a wooden churner and blender (called a madani in Punjabi and Hindi), lassi is enjoyed during hot summers. If you don’t have a blender, you may use a wired whisk or immersion blender to blend the lassi ingredients.
For Sweet Lassi
- 2 cups Curd – cold and fresh (yogurt)
- 1 cup water or milk – cold or at room temperature
- 4 to 5 tablespoons sugar or add as per taste
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder or 8 to 10 green cardamoms or 1 tablespoon rose water
- 10 to 12 saffron strands – optional
- 6 to 8 ice cubes – optional
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped nuts – cashews, almonds, pistachios, optional
For Salted Lassi
- 2.5 cups Curd – cold and fresh (yogurt)
- 1 cup water – cold or at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon black salt or regular salt or edible rock salt, as required
- 1.5 teaspoons roasted cumin powder
- 6 to 7 mint leaves
For Masala Lassi
- 2 cups Curd – cold and fresh (yogurt)
- 3 to 4 green cardamoms – seeds crushed in mortar and husks removed
- ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper
- 1 to 2 pinches grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons chopped almonds or cashews or pistachios
- 10 to 12 saffron strands – optional
- 5 to 6 tablespoons chopped palm sugar (palm jaggery) or jaggery or sugar
- ⅓ to ½ cup water – cold or at room temperature, add as required
Making Sweet Lassi
- In a mortar, take the green cardamom pods and crush them lightly. Remove the husks and crush the seeds to a fine powder.
- In a bowl or pan, take fresh chilled curd (yogurt).
- With the handheld wooden churner (madani)or blender or wired whisk, simply whisk the curd until it becomes smooth.
- Add sugar and cold water. You can also add cold milk instead of water.
- The consistency of this lassi is neither thick nor thin. For a thin lassi, add slightly more water and for a thicker version, add less water .
- Now churn or beat again with the churner, blender or wired whisk.
- Keep on churning or whisking until the sugar dissolves and you see a nice frothy layer on top. You can use an immersion blender for the same. Another way is to add all the ingredients in a blender jar and blend until smooth and frothy.
- Now add the crushed cardamom powder and saffron strands. Mix well. Do check the taste and add more sugar if required.
- As a substitute for cardamom powder, add rose water. You can skip all the flavoring ingredients, if you don’t have any.
- Pour lassi in tall glasses and serve. Add a few ice cubes if you prefer. If you want, you can top madani in each glass with 1 to 2 tablespoons of malai (the thick layer of cream which collects on top of heated milk) or 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsalted white butter (makhan).
- Garnish with a pinch or two of cardamom powder, 2 to 3 crushed saffron strands or chopped nuts like cashews, pistachios or almonds. Serve sweet punjabi madani straightaway.
Making Salted Lassi
- Take the curd and water in a bowl or pan. Season with salt and roasted cumin powder.
- To make your own roasted ground cumin, dry roast cumin seeds in a small skillet or frying pan until fragrant. Then crush in a mortar-pestle or grind finely in a spice-grinder.
- With a wired whisk blend everything well till smooth. A blender or an immersion blender also works.
- Pour the salted lassi in glasses. Garnish with mint leaves. You can add a few ice cubes if you like. If you wish to avoid the ice cubes, then make lassi with chilled yogurt and cold water.
Making Masala Lassi
- In a blender take the curd, crushed seeds of the green cardamons, crushed black pepper, grated nutmeg, chopped almonds or cashews or pistachios or a mix of all three nuts.
- Add the saffron strands and chopped palm jaggery (palm sugar) or jaggery or sugar. Add water.
- Blend until smooth and frothy. Check the taste and add more palm sugar if needed and blend again. Serve straightaway topped with a few saffron strands or chopped nuts.

Serving Suggestions
- Laxmi is a refreshing drink best served during the day, and can also be served to accompany Indian meals.
- A few chopped nuts, such as pistachios or almonds, should be garnished on top of sweet madani while serving.
- Adding fresh mint or coriander leaves, as well as red chilli powder (cayenne pepper) and chaat masala to a salted lassi is very easy and tasty.
Storage
- If you are storing leftover lassi in the refrigerator, it should last for one to two days. Ice cubes do not need to be added to the cocktail if it will be stored.