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Masala chaas
Spiced buttermilk
મસાલા છાશ: thin, salty buttermilk with roasted cumin, ginger, chilli and coriander, poured beside every Gujarati thali
No Gujarati lunch is finished until the steel glass of chaas comes round. From Ahmedabad pols to Kathiyawadi farmhouses, homemade dahi is thinned right down, churned with a wooden ravai or a blender, and seasoned with roasted cumin, black salt, a little ginger and green chilli, then poured ice-cold after dal-bhaat-shaak-rotli. It should be thin enough to drink in one go, salty, gently hot and full of coriander; that is what settles a heavy meal in May. Kerala's sambaram, with shallot and curry leaf, is a close cousin. A common mistake is churning thick, very cold full-fat dahi for too long: the fat clumps into flecks of butter and the chaas turns thin and greasy. Blend the dahi with only part of the water for a few seconds, then stir in the rest. Chef's tip: dahi that is a day old and slightly sour makes the best chaas; very fresh, sweet dahi tastes flat however much masala you add.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chaas
- 10 ½ oz plain dahi (yogurt)a day old, slightly sour
- 2 ½ cups chilled water
- ⅜ in fresh gingerpeeled
- 1 green chillistalk removed
- ⅓ oz fresh corianderwith tender stems
For the seasoning
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- ½ tsp black salt (kala namak)
- ¼ tsp saltor to taste
To serve
- 8 ice cubes (optional)
- ¼ tsp roasted cumin powder (optional)for sprinkling
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put ⅜ in fresh ginger, 1 green chilli, ⅓ oz fresh coriander and 8 mint leaves in a blender jar with 2 tbsp of the ¼ cup chilled water and blend to a fine green paste.
2 minStep 2: Add 10 ½ oz plain dahi (yogurt) and another 200 ml of the 1 cup chilled water and blend for only 5–6 seconds, just until smooth. Longer churning separates butter from full-fat dahi.
1 minStep 3: Pour into a jug, stir in the rest of the 1 ½ cups chilled water with 1 tsp roasted cumin powder, ½ tsp black salt (kala namak) and ¼ tsp salt. Taste: it should be clearly salty and tangy, with a mild burn from the chilli.
2 minStep 4: Chill for a few minutes or pour over 8 ice cubes, sprinkle with ¼ tsp roasted cumin powder and serve straight away with lunch. Stir before pouring, as the spices settle.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 60 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does masala chaas take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of green chilli?
- A pinch of chilli flakes per chilli.
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