Masala Chaas ( Indian Spiced Buttermilk) is a refreshing Indian drink that is mildly spicy, tangy, and usually savored after meals to improve digestion. Made using just 4 ingredients, it gets ready in just 5 minutes. Here is how to make it (vegetarian, gluten-free).
Here are some more refreshing Indian drinks that can be made at home – Nimbu Shikanji, Aam Panna, Jeera Soda, Jaljeera, Kulukki, Mohabbat Ka Sharbat, Mango Mastani, and Kanji Drink.
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What is Buttermilk (Chaas)
Buttermilk (Chaas) is the leftover liquid while churning cultured butter. Cultured butter is made by collecting cream from boiling raw milk and then fermenting it by adding yogurt culture.
This fermented cream is then churned to make cultured butter and the by product of this process is buttermilk.
Creating buttermilk from fermented cream can be a lengthy and laborious process, so it is often simpler to make Indian buttermilk by using yogurt instead.
About Masala Chaas
Masala Chaas (Indian Spiced Buttermilk) is an Indian beverage made using yogurt (dahi), fresh herbs, and spices. It is yogurt diluted with water and then flavored using basic ingredients.
Masala chaas is made all over India, but each region has its variation of it. It also has different names in different parts of India.
It’s called mattha in Hindi, taak in Marathi, majjige in Kannada, moru or neer mor in Tamil, and sambaram in Malayalam.
The North Indian buttermilk variation is a simple mix of yogurt with roasted cumin powder and salt, while it is spiced and tempered when made in South Indian style.
It is an ideal summer drink as it has a cooling effect on the body. It is also the perfect drink to serve after a heavy meal as it aids digestion.
This masala chaas recipe needs no special skills. You dump all the ingredients into a blender and blend until combined.
In this post, I am sharing the recipe to make masala buttermilk and many variations you can try at home.
You can easily double or triple this buttermilk recipe.
Health Benefits Of Masala Chaas
Some potential health benefits of chaas include improving digestion, boosting the immune system, and helping with weight loss.
It cools down the body and helps it deal with the hot weather. It also hydrates the body and energizes it.
The probiotics in yogurt can help improve the gut’s health, while the spices used in masala buttermilk may have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Additionally, yogurt’s high protein and calcium content can help support bone health.
Ingredients
Yogurt – Plain yogurt (dahi, curd) makes the base of this drink. If using homemade yogurt, ensure it is not too sour (tangy).
Note – Traditionally, chaas or buttermilk was made by churning the milk. The butter was separated to make various recipes, and the leftover sour whey was made into masala chaach.
Spices – You will need salt, black pepper powder, and roasted cumin powder. Homemade Cumin Powder gives the best flavor to this drink. Make it using my recipe.
Herbs – Cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) and fresh mint leaves give the buttermilk a refreshing feel. Do not skip adding these herbs.
Replace regular salt with black salt for an earthy flavor. You can add some chaat masala to your chaas recipe for a nice spicy tang.
How To Make Masala Chaas
Add
- 1 cup chilled plain yogurt
- 2 cups of chilled water
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon regular salt
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 8-10 chopped mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
to a blender jar.
Note – You can also blend the buttermilk ingredients with a hand blender.
Add 3-4 ice cubes and blend for 2-3 minutes until a foam is formed on the top. Adding ice cubes while blending helps in making the foam quickly.
Pour the chaas into serving glasses, add a few ice cubes, and serve chilled immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Variations
Plain Chaas is just a combination of yogurt and water flavored with salt and cumin powder. This is how it is made in most North Indian homes.
Tadka Chaas – In this version, buttermilk is given a tempering of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chillies. This is very popular in South India.
Beetroot Chaas – Beetroot is peeled, chopped, pureed, and mixed with buttermilk. It not only gives a beautiful color to it but also adds to its nutrition.
Boondi Chaas – Add some boondi (fried chickpea flour balls) to the chaas for a nice crunch. Just ensure you add the boondi just before serving; otherwise, it will get soft and mushy.
Cucumber Coriander – Puree the cucumber, cilantro, green chilies, ginger, and add to the buttermilk.
Pudina Chaas (Mint) – Puree the mint leaves with green chilies and ginger and add to the buttermilk.
Smoked – This is one of my favorite way of making Chaas. You can make either plain or masala buttermilk and then smoke it with coal. It gives it a beautiful earthy flavor.
Ginger – You can grate the ginger and blend it with other ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically buttermilk is the by-product of making butter. But these days it comes from an industrial process more similar to yogurt-making than churning butter. In India, we use these two terms interchangeably. However, it is not correct technically.
Both these Indian drinks are made using yogurt but are very different from each other. Chaas is watery, whereas lassi is thick in texture.
Chaas is a salted drink, whereas lassi is primarily sweet and flavored with saffron and cardamom powder.
Masala Chaas is an everyday affair at my home, and we drink it every day in the summer, as it helps cool down the body and aids digestion.
As it is cold in nature, it is not advisable to drink it in winter very often, as it may cause a cold. But you can still serve it along with your meals occasionally.
Yes, you can drink buttermilk at night, as it provides many health benefits. It aids digestion, promotes sleep, and improves your sleep quality. But it’s good to avoid it if you have a cold.
Masala chaas keep good in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. So make a big batch, refrigerate it, and keep sipping it.
You can mix a few spice powders and make a chaas masala powder. This spice mix can be added to yogurt and water for instant chaas.
Dry roast 2 tablespoon cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon black peppercorns until fragrant. Add them to a grinder with 1 teaspoon kala namak (black salt) and ½ teaspoon mint powder and grind to make a fine powder. Now add ½ teaspoon of this powder to ¼ cup yogurt whisked with 1 cup chilled water and stir well. Your instant masala buttermilk is ready.
Serving Suggestions
It is a great Indian summer drink and can be sipped any time of the day. The perfect way to serve chaas is chilled, with a few ice cubes added to it. However, you can serve it at room temperature too.
Chass can be served any time of the day. However, it is recommended to serve it post-meals. I serve it with my Indian meals as it is light on the stomach and helps digest heavy food.
For that earthy flavor, you can store it in an earthen pot for a few hours.
Storage Suggestions
Masala Buttermilk can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Shake well before serving.
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Recipe Card
Masala Chaas Recipe (Indian Spiced Buttermilk)
Ingredients
- 1 cup chilled plain yogurt (dahi, curd)
- 2 cups chilled water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 8-10 chopped mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
- 2-3 ice-cubes (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender.
- Blend for 2-3 minutes until a frothy mixture is formed.
- Pour the chaas in serving glases, add a few ice cubes and serve chiled.
Divya Shivaraman
so beautiful photography and props….what a wonderful cooler to quench the sun
Tasneem
Tasty summer cooler
Neha Mathur
Thnx 🙂
Bhakti
Love your recipes?
Neha Mathur
Thnx 🙂