Lassi is a traditional Indian drink made with yogurt, fruit, honey, milk and cardamom. I was first introduced to this incredibly addictive drink last week during dinner with a friend at my favorite local Indian restaurant, The Oven. We had just finished our dishes and were quite full, but when my friend mentioned this delicious drink that aids in digestion (much needed after such a rich meal!) and has great health benefits, I said YES that sounds great! The Oven had both mango and strawberry but they were out of mango for the evening so we had the strawberry and it was seriously one of the best things I have ever had. There was just the right amount of sweetness from the honey, tartness from the yogurt and smooth texture from the milk and strawberries.
I knew I needed to recreate this drink and luckily, my friend lived in Singapore for 2 years and Lassi was a drink of choice over there. She had an awesome recipe she passed along. I have tweaked it a little bit and really like it absolutely no matter what I do to it.
Instead of feeling like I need chocolate or a dessert to finish my meal, I will usually just make a small Lassi and feel totally satisfied - and I know I am getting probiotics from yogurt, fruit and natural sugar from the honey. Bring on the Lassi!
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped mango (I have used both fresh and frozen, but if you use frozen you don't need the ice)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon cardamom (I didn't have cardamom so I used cinnamon instead)
1 cup plain yogurt (whole milk or low-fat. I used low-fat)
1/2 cup ice cubes
Instructions:
1. Puree mango, honey, cardamom and a pinch of salt in a blender.
2. Add the yogurt and puree until smooth.
3. Add the milk and ice, puree until smooth and serve immediately
Enjoy!
