Masala chaas or spiced buttermilk is a refreshing Indian drink that is mildly spicy and 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.
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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About This Recipe
Masala chaas is an Indian beverage made using yogurt, herbs, and spices. It is basically yogurt diluted with water and then flavored using various ingredients.
Masala chaas is made all over India but each region has its own variation of it. It’s called mattha in Hindi, taak in Marathi, majjige in Kannada, moru in Tamil, and sambaram in Malayalam. The North Indian 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.
This recipe needs no special skills. You basically dump all the ingredients into a blender and blend until combined. In this post, I am sharing the recipe to make masala chaas along with many variations that you can try at home.
Health Benefits
This beverage comes with a lot of health benefits, some of them are:
- It aids digestion and is considered great to treat constipation. It also calms the stomach after a spicy meal.
- Cool down the body and helps it deal with the hot weather.
- Hydrates the body and energise it.
- It is a great source of vitamins like vitamin B complex, proteins, and potassium.
- Reduces blood pressure.
- If you add pepper and ginger in the chaas, it also helps with the acidity problems.
Ingredients
Yogurt – Plain yogurt (dahi) makes the base of this drink.
Note – Traditionally chaas or buttermilk was made by churning the milk. The butter was separated which was used to make various recipes, and the leftover sour whey was made into masala chaas.
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 (Coriander) and mint give a very refreshing feel to the buttermilk. Do not skip adding these herbs.
How To Make Masala Chaas
Add 1 cup plain yogurt, 2 cups of chilled water, ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder, regular salt to taste, ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 8-10 chopped mint leaves, and 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (coriander leaves) to a blender.
Add a few ice cubes and blend for 2-3 minutes until a froth is formed on the top. Adding ice cubes while blending helps in making the froth easily.
Pour the chaas into serving glasses, add a few ice cubes and serve chilled or refrigerate it for up to 2 days.
Variations
Plain – This is just a combination of yogurt and water which is flavored with salt and cumin powder. This is how it is made in most North Indian homes.
Tadka – In this version, buttermilk is given a tempering of cumin seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies. This is very popular in South India.
Beetroot – Beetroot is peeled, chopped, pureed, and then mixed with buttermilk. It not only gives a beautiful color to it but also adds to its nutrition.
Boondi – Add some boondi (fried chickpea flour balls) to the chaas for a nice crunch. Just make sure you add the boondi right before serving otherwise it will get soft and mushy.
Cucumber Coriander – Puree the cucumber along with cilantro, green chilies, ginger, and add to the buttermilk.
Pudina (Mint) – Puree the mint leaves with green chilies and ginger, add to the buttermilk.
Smoked – This is one of my favorite way of making Chaas. You can make either plain or masala chaas 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 mostly sweet and is flavored with saffron and cardamom powder.
Masala Chaas is an everyday affair at my home and we drink it every day in summers, as it helps cools down the body and also 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 from time to time.
Yes, you can drink buttermilk at night as it provides many health benefits. It aids digestion, promotes sleep, and also improves the quality of your sleep. 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 on it.
Serving Suggestions
Chass can be served any time of the day however, it is recommended to serve it post-meal. I serve it with my Indian-style meals as it is light on the stomach and helps in digesting the heavy food.
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Recipe Card
Masala Chaas Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 cups chilled water
- salt (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 8-10 chopped mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
- 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.
