Get creative with yogurt

It’s not uncommon to go to an Indian home and get served a yogurt drink instead of a cold soda. The most commonly known yogurt drink, Lassi, has gained fame all over the world, but is not so famous in common Indian households.

Instead, yogurt has a different variation from the north to the south of India. In Southern India the most common yogurt drink  is called More (watered down yogurt). It’s nothing fancy, but definitely quenches the poor man’s hunger and cools the body from scorching mid-afternoon heat. A fancier version of More has finely chopped cilantro, green chili & red onion. Many in the Western world can’t really imagine drinking a totally diluted yogurt with these condiments, but I don’t blame them, it’s an acquired taste.

Next time when you trying to cut down on your sugar indulgence or just want to make a change to your daily liquid diet, try this yogurt drink. When summer rolls around in India you can find the salted version of the yogurt smoothie served almost in every restaurant, street stalls and outside of every school. Since refrigeration was rare luxury back in the days, simple clay pots were used to keep the yogurt chilled. In Northern India, they bury the clay pot in a sand pit and cover it to the neck of the pot so the ground continues to keep the yogurt drink cool all day long.

Another most favorable fame for yogurt among Indian taste is raita -- yogurt dressed with cucumber and seasoned with roasted cumin and cilantro. This flavorful, refreshing condiment complements just about everything: grilled meat, plain or flavored rice, and almost all types of salad. Try this when you are bored with bottled salad dressing, and to keep it simple and healthy.

Raita

2 cups plain whipped yogurt to smoothie consistency

1 cucumber shredded or chopped finely

1 table spoon finely shredded carrot

1 tsp of crushed roasted cumin

Dash of salt

There are even fancier versions of sweet lassi that calls for exotic fruit flavors like pineapple, passion fruit and coconut -- the list goes on. These variations can definitely compliment your Indian dinner or lunch, making it more exotic.

So going back to the topic why yogurt is not so boring, aside from the health benefit or quenching your thirst with sweet or salt, there is more to lassi than just a drink.  Yogurt is so flexible that you can be creative in ways to use it. Try some yogurt-based salad dressing. Add pinch of cumin to a whipped yogurt and some fresh chopped cilantro -- it’s yummy. Instead of cream add whipped yogurt to curries or for marinating.

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Anjalee Blackwell is the chef at her Rose Hill restaurant Anju, and her blogs posts can also be found here.