Spicy Savory Tamarind Lassi

Savory or Sweet Lassi?

As much as I love sweet lassi, I love salty and spicy lassi and buttermilk. We love lassi with our paratha brunch, and I always prefer salt lassi. Spicy tamarind lassi is one such tangy and spicy lassi flavored with chaat masalas. You can call this lassi namkeen lassi, masaledar lassi, or even chatpata lassi. Like every other lassi recipe, this is also quite easy to prepare.

Quick savory lassi

I first tried this lassi in one of the food stalls (DOSA stall, and they called spicy tamarind lassi, I believe) in SFO. I liked the flavor and was inspired by that; here is my take on the same. If you are using tamarind paste, there isn’t any major prep work. Here is a great lassi that you can whip up easily, and it’s the perfect drink for breakfast or brunch, irrespective of the weather.

Ingredients required

Yogurt: We need thick yogurt for the lassi. I went with full-fat store-bought yogurt. You can also use Greek yogurt or homemade yogurt. As we are using chaat masalas, we prefer not-too-sour yogurt. Spices – I included jal jeera masala, chaat masala, black salt, regular salt, paprika, and tamarind paste for this recipe. I love jal jeera masala, and it adds the kick and chaat flavor to any recipe, be it my Tandoori paneer or Sprite and Jal Jeera Refresher. Instead of jal jeera masala, you can add pani puri masala or substitute it with chaat masala if you don’t have both. Tamarind paste/extract – I went with homemade tamarind paste. (Tamarind paste is handy during busy mornings or when time is pressing.) But if you don’t have tamarind paste, all you need for this recipe is about 3 to 4 tbsps. of tamarind water. So here is what you can do,

Soak small gooseberry-sized tamarind in 1 cup of water for at least 20 minutes and extract the juice. Take 3 to 4 tbsps for this lassi and use the remaining for sambar or rasam. If you soak them in hot water, 10 to 15 minutes of soaking time is more than enough.

Dried mint leaves – I used dried mint leaves for this recipe, and I always have the store-bought ones in stock, so I went with that. Also, when I prepare biryani or pulao, I opt for these dried ones if I don’t have fresh ones. You can also use fresh leaves for this lassi. Four to five fresh leaves are sufficient. Summer is here, and it’s the perfect time to prepare dried mint leaves. Just wash and sundry them until they are crisp and completely dried up. Store them in an airtight container. Apart from these ingredients, we also need water.

How to make spicy & savory tamarind lassi

Add all the ingredients in a blender, including ¼ tsp of dried mint leaves, and blend until smooth and frothy.

That’s it. Tamarind Lassi is ready. :-)

Serve chilled with a dash of paprika and crushed mint leaves.

Recipe notes

We liked this combination and proportion of masala and tamarind paste. But adjust the ingredients according to your preference.Instead of paprika, you can use regular red chili powder or cayenne pepper.If you use tamarind extract instead of paste, use ¼ cup of water.Mint is completely optional, but it adds flavor to the lassi. Opt for fresh or dried based on your availability.

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Have you made this recipe?

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