Blueberry and Strawberry Lassi

I really love yoghurt based anything. This time I used honey as a sweetener instead of sugar. I think, possibly, it's a healthier option (If you use your local honey then chances of spring time allergies are reduced! yay!) than sugar and it's brings an interesting richness to the drink.



Ingredients:

Serves 3
Fresh blueberries 1 cup
strawberries - chopped 1/2-1 cup
Honey to taste (can use sugar instead)
Milk and/or Yoghurt - 1/2-1 cup (add water if you like it to be more liquidy)
Ice cubes

Method:

1. In your blender, blend everything except the ice at first. Taste and add honey to counter balance the tartness. The honey may be a bit weird with the overpowering taste of the berries, but I really liked the combination of the tartness of the yoghurt and rich and aromatic sweetness of the honey. Add the ice and drink!!!


Note: I think honey and yoghurt combo without the berries will be amazing. I will try it out and report shortly.

Spicy Buttermilk/Lassi

aka Thaak aka Morre. Here is yet another reason why I won't survive as a vegan. If you order a thali or any meal in south India, this is the drink (spicy, I'm sure there are subtle changes) you get with your meal. In the north, you get the sweetened version which is popular in U.S.A.


Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 cup plain yoghurt (i used fat-free)
4-6 curry leaves
1tbspn chopped fresh cilantro/coriander
1 dried red chilli
1/2 fresh green chilli - sliced (i used serrano, if you think this is insane heat, just you about 2-3 slices)
Ginger - finely chopped or grated 1/2"
Salt to taste
Black Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
1 tspn vegetable oil
Water 1 cup or more.
Asafoetida optional a pinch

Method:

1. In a blender add the yoghurt and water and blend. Depending on how thin or thick you want your buttermilk, add more water.

2. Add the grated ginger, coriander, green chillies, salt to taste, asafoetida.

3. on the stove in a tiny pan (really tiny; or be innovative and use a regular pan, doesn't matter) add the oil and let it heat up. to this add the mustard seeds and red chilli. When the seeds start popping, add the curry leaves and stand back. after about 10 seconds, add this tempered/flavoured hot oil directly to the blended mix and stir.

Strain and serve (or not). Garnish with coriander leaves.

ps: Sorry about the crap pictures.

Mixed Vegetable Raitha / Yoghurt Salad

I could potentially be vegetarian. But I could never be vegan. I love yoghurt way too much. I grew up on this elixir of MY life. Some white rice slapped with homemade yoghurt and a side of some sort of vegetable and I was set. To this day, it is my comfort food.

There are lots of variations of Raitha. If I'm having Biryani , I pair it with an onion raitha. When I went to India, I discovered a fruit raitha (mostly with pineapple). You could do any version with either one vegetable/fruit, or more than one. Today, I did a mixed vegetable raitha to go with some store bought (trader joes, for the win) garlic naan.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
Carrot- finely chopped 1
Roma Tomato - finely chopped 1 (I added the seeds as well)
Fresh Green Chilli- 1/2 (omit this if you can't take the heat. I've been using chillies that I pick up at the local Persian or Indian market. Looks like they aren't as spicy as Serranos or Jalapenos; though I've used serranos too for this recipe and I didn't feel the heat).
Red Onion - finely chopped 1/4-1/2
Cucumber- 3-5" long piece don't add the seeds finely chopped

Cumin - 1/4 tspn (optional)
salt to taste
some water
Plain yoghurt (1/2 cup)- i use non-fat or 98% fat free.

Cilantro/Coriander - finely chopped

Method:

1. Combine all the veggies (including cilantro) in a bowl with salt.

2. Add the yoghurt and some water to make it come to a dressing consistency. Yoghurt in india is very liquidy, so we dont normally add water. But the Yoghurt in America is SO thick!

3. Mix well, taste and add salt if required. Add the cumin powder and mix again. Some people like the flavor of cumin in their raitha and some don't. I would recommend testing it out before you add cumin to the main bowl.

4. Optional: garnish with some red chilli powder for color. Serve cool.

note: You can douse this over some crisp Iceberg and eat it with some naan or pita. so delish!

Cacik-Turkish Yogurt and Spinach Dip

This is kind of like Indian raita, and kind of like Greek tzatziki, but if I had to choose between the three, I like this one best. I could eat this all day - actually, that's exactly what I've been doing. --AnglophileLV

Turkish Yogurt and Spinach Dip, aka Cacik

Serves 4

1/2 bag baby spinach
1 fat clove garlic, minced fine
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lemon juiced
1 Tb. chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 Tb. chopped mint
1 Tb olive oil
1 cup Greek style yogurt

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add the spinach and blanch for 10-20 seconds. Fish out the spinach with a spatula and transfer to the ice water. Cool, drain, and squeeze dry like a sponge. Chop coarsely.

2. Mince the garlic and combine with a pinch of salt. Combine with lemon juice and olive oil, and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the yogurt.

3. Combine the chopped spinach, dill, parsley and mint. Stir in the yogurt and garlic mixture. Add fresh ground pepper to taste, and more salt if desired. Serve with crackers, pita chips, or crudites.

*Additional note: this recipe can also include cucumbers, cabbage and beets mixed in.