Lassi Comes Home

While I love Indian food, I always struggled with the accompanying beverage choices. I don’t like beer, wine doesn’t complement curry (not matter what the wine matching wheel from the LCBO says) and water is just too plebeian for the rich mixture of spices. The obvious solution is a mango lassi. Since my first exposure was laced with cardamom, an uppity spice that should never be allowed out on its own, I thought this drink was an “acquired taste”. My bad.

I now find myself on a mango lassi kick and am surprised to report that not all lassis are created equal. You’d think a drink with only four ingredients would be fairly consistent, but I’ve been served a wide range of interpretations. One was soda-pop sweet and so thick it was hard to swallow – more a dessert than a drink. Another was chalky and tart to the point the yogurt overpowered the fruit. Yet another was just right – smooth, slightly sweet with an underlying tang. Thick enough to have weight but liquid enough it didn’t require a spoon.

To address my after-hour cravings, I’ve devised a simple recipe you can make at home anytime. All you need is a blender and some self-restraint. Don’t make these while family members are in the next room watching their favorite show or listening to iTunes. Should you ignore this bit of advice, don’t try to hide the evidence in one gulp. They’ll know what you’re up to and you’ll get an ice cream headache for your troubles. Trust me on this.

Mango Lassi
Printable recipe
Makes 1 reasonably sized drink

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup, plain unsweetened yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup mango (frozen or fresh)
• 2 tsp sugar OR 2 chunks sweet pineapple (this depends on how sweet the mango is)
• ice cubes

Instructions

1. Prepare unsuspecting family members for upcoming noise.
2. Put yogurt, milk and mango into a blender and puree until smooth.
3. Taste to see if you need to sweeten the drink. Out of season mangoes might need some help. Most recipes call for added sugar, but I prefer to sweeten with pineapple.
4. Pour over ice. If you use frozen mango, you might want to skip the ice cubes.
5. Drink slowly.