Indian drinks to tempt your tastebuds
In our final Indian themed blog of the week, we share our top 3 Indian inspired drinks. From classic chai to cooling lassis—milk- or water-thinned yogurt mixed with fruit or other flavourings India has a long tradition of inventive, often richly spiced drinks. Give them a go and let us know what you thought over on our Facebook page.
Mango Lassi
Easy
Serve 2
Milkshake-like drink
Throughout India, creamy, chilled lassis are the go-to beverage for cooling off during the warmer months. To make them, milk or water-thinned yogurt is blended with ingredients such as strawberries or—as in this recipe—ripe mangoes, resulting in a refreshing drink that’s as thick as a milkshake.
Source: Saveur
Ingredients
- 450ml plain full-fat yoghurt
- 130g ice cubes
- 120ml whole milk
- 60g sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ripe mangos, peeled, pitted and cut into 2 cm pieces, plus extra for garnish
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for topping
Method
Add the yoghurt, ice, milk, sugar, vanilla, and mangos into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into glasses and top with 1–2 tbsp of ice cream or whipped cream if you like; garnish with additional mango.
Slow Cooker Chai
Time: 8 hrs 20 mins
Serves 10
Delicious!
Easy version of chai tea, using whole spices and sweetened condensed milk.
Source: All Recipes
Ingredients
- 2.1 litres water
- 9 1/2 slices fresh ginger, peeled
- 9 1/2 green cardamom pods, split open and seeded
- 15 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 whole black peppercorns
- 5 black tea bags
- 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
Method
Pour water into the crock of a slow cooker. Stir in the ginger, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and peppercorns. Turn to High; simmer for 8 hours.
Steep tea bags in the hot spiced water for 5 minutes. Strain tea into a clean container. Stir in sweetened condensed milk; serve hot.
Turmeric Milk
Time: 15 mins
Serves 1
Creamy and earthy
This is a perfect balance between creamy almond milk, spicy ginger, and the earthy taste of turmeric.
Source: All Recipes
Ingredients
- 1-inch piece fresh turmeric root, peeled and grated
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tbsp honey
- 130ml unsweetened almond milk
- 1 pinch ground turmeric
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
Method
Combine turmeric root, ginger root, and honey together in a bowl, crushing the turmeric and ginger as much as possible.
Heat almond milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once small bubbles begin to form around the edges, reduce heat to low. Transfer about 2 tablespoon milk to turmeric mixture to allow mixture to soften and honey to melt into a paste-like mixture.
Mix the turmeric paste into milk in the saucepan; raise temperature to medium-low and cook, stirring continuously, until fully combined. Blend with an immersion blender for a smooth texture.
Pour turmeric tea into a mug and top with ground turmeric and cinnamon.
