Mango Lassi

Before you start

A mango lassi is a sweet yogurt drink from the Indian subcontinent that pairs tangy yogurt with fragrant ripe mango. It is thick but drinkable, not frozen like a smoothie, and it is often served with spicy food because the cool yogurt softens the heat.

The mango is the deciding ingredient. Canned Alphonso or Kesar mango pulp, sold in Indian grocery stores, gives a deep, floral flavor and a consistent texture all year. Fresh mangoes work well when they are very ripe and fragrant at the stem; fibrous varieties should be strained. Use plain whole-milk yogurt that tastes fresh rather than sour. Cardamom is optional but traditional in many homes, and a little goes a long way.

Ingredients

• 240 g (1 cup) plain whole-milk yogurt — chilled
• 240 g (1 cup) mango pulp — canned Alphonso or Kesar, or pureed fresh ripe mango
• 60-120 ml (¼-½ cup) cold milk or water — to thin
• 1-2 tbsp sugar — less if the pulp is sweetened
• Pinch ground cardamom — or seeds from 2 pods, crushed
• 4 ice cubes — optional
• 1 tsp chopped pistachios — optional garnish

Method

1. If using fresh mango, peel it, cut the flesh from the seed and blend until smooth. Push it through a sieve if you see fibers.
2. Taste the mango pulp before adding sugar. Canned pulp is often already sweetened, so you may need only a little or none.
3. Put the yogurt, mango pulp, 60 ml of milk, the sugar and cardamom in the blender.
4. Blend for 20 to 30 seconds until smooth and slightly frothy. Add the ice cubes and blend 10 seconds more for a colder drink.
5. Check the thickness. It should coat a spoon but pour easily; add milk or water 30 ml at a time to thin it.
6. Pour into glasses, sprinkle with pistachios or a pinch more cardamom and serve cold.

Tips for success

• Use fresh-tasting yogurt. Yogurt that has been open for a while gets sharper, and that sourness comes through.
• Grind cardamom seeds just before using; preground cardamom loses its aroma quickly.
• For a thicker lassi without ice dilution, chill the pulp and yogurt well before blending.

Substitutions

Whole-milk yogurt

Greek yogurt makes it very thick; thin it with more milk. Plant-based yogurt works but is often sweeter, so cut the sugar.

Mango pulp

Frozen mango chunks give a frostier, smoothie-like lassi. Add more milk to loosen the blend.

Sugar

Honey or jaggery adds a deeper sweetness. Jaggery should be grated or dissolved in a spoonful of warm water first.

Variations

Rose mango lassi

Add ¼ tsp rose water along with the cardamom.

Dairy-free

Use coconut yogurt and coconut milk; add a squeeze of lime to restore tang.

Troubleshooting

Too sour

The yogurt is tangy or the mango underripe. Add sugar in small amounts or use milder, fresh yogurt.

Too thin

Too much liquid or runny yogurt. Add more mango pulp or a spoon of Greek yogurt.

Stringy bits

Some fresh mango varieties are fibrous. Strain the puree before blending with the yogurt.

Storage

Best served right away. Refrigerate any leftovers, covered, for up to 24 hours and stir before serving; it may separate slightly. Opened canned mango pulp should be moved to a covered container and refrigerated.