Serendipitously, I stumbled across a recipe for Lassi in my Vita-Mix Cookbook today and thought I would try it. As you will see from the ingredients and preparation it is a natural for Mr. Lazy Cook. What is Lassi, you may ask, as I did? Lassi is a popular and traditional yogurt-based drink of the Indian Subcontinent. It is very refreshing and has some very healthy ingredients. Very much worth trying.
Traditional lassi has a savory taste, sometimes flavored with cumin while sweet lassi mixes with sugar or fruits instead. So, how to make it? It is wonderfully simple in the Vita-Mix machine. Pour in one cup of water, one cup of low fat yogurt, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, add 4 teaspoons of sugar and 1/2 cup of ice cubes. Blend for 20 to 30 seconds, pour into a glass and enjoy! It has a wonderful flavor that is difficult to describe, but you have to imagine the combination of the yogurt, salt and sugar. It seemed kind of mysteriously savory-sweet to my western taste buds. One cup yields: 53 calories, 4 grams of protein, 1 gram of total fat, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 387 mg of sodium. Wikipedia tells a tale of a Polish washing machine manufacturer’s representative sent to India to discover why their sales are so high there. On arriving, the representative investigates a Lassi parlour, where he is warmly welcomed, and finds several washing machines being used to mix Lassi. The owner tells him he is able to “make ten times as much Lassi as I used to!”
Lassi isn’t just another culinary pretty face, though. The yogurt promotes digestive enzymes and influences the growth of healthy bacteria. It is a natural remedy that eases bloating and prevents constipation. The protein builds muscle and the calcium improves bone health.
Tony
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