Holi 2024: Move over bhaang and follow these innovative recipes to make delicious lassi

Every year, Indians around the globe wait for Holi because the colours and food immediately spark joy, that brighten up even dull times. With the ‘Festival of Colours' here, today is going to be a celebration of food, drink and colours like always as friends and family get together to revel in the festivities in the city. While playing with colours takes centre stage, Indian festivals are incomplete without food and not just little but lots of it because it is a complete feast. It involves gorging on delicious sweet and savoury delicacies such as gujiyas and barfi and dahi bhalla as well as dahi vada. With the food, there is also endless amounts of delicious drinks like bhaang, thandai and desserts like phirni that make the celebration worth every minute.

While the potent bhaang is the preferred drink more often than not, many may not want to sip on the traditional drink made from milk, poppy seeds, and other types of dry fruits and ingredients. However, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy other drinks that can be refreshing, especially with the summer almost here, it is the perfect time. With lassi being equally popular during this time of the year and an all-season drink, it is a classic that is always a favourite. It is not only refreshing but also filling because it is loaded with yogurt, water and loads of dry fruits like pistachios, almonds and cashew that make it really delicious. Over the years, many people have come up with different kinds of innovations that alternatives to the traditional lassi that are popular at various hotspots in Mumbai and the country.

However, since many people will be spending their time at home, mid-day.com decided to take an alternate route and speak to chefs and make them share their favourite recipes for lassi, that people can make at home. While they share recipes for a crowd favourite variation of dry fruit lassi, they also tell you how to make gulkand lassi. They not only suggest adding different kinds of flavours to lassi, but also remind you to make kesar Piyush, which is a close cousin, and even suggest make a rose thandai lassi, that will make you forget about the potent bhaang this time.

Gulkand Lassi
Making the most of people's love for lassi and the need to drinking something chilled this Holi, chef Sarab Kapoor wants you to make Gulkand Lassi. She shares, "The gulkand or rose lassi is a delicious twist to a traditional lassi. It is floral flavoured with a nice pink hue and a refreshing tangy taste. It also keeps you hydrated on a scorching summer day."

Ingredients:
Yoghurt 1 cup
Milk 1/4 cup
Gulkand 2 tsp
Rose Syrup - Rooafzaah 2 tbsp
Sugar (optional) 1 tsp
Few ice cubes

Method:
1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender along with ice cubes.
2. Adjust the consistency of the lassi by adding chilled water or milk.
3. Serve chilled.

Kesar Piyush
While the piyush drink is not traditionally lassi, this one, chef Varun Inamdar, associated with Godrej Vikhroli Cucina Millets Cookbook, promises to be a close cousin that will be irresistible this Holi. Inamdar explains, "The evolution of recipes like the Kesar Piyush, showcase how traditional dishes can transform into new, exciting flavours. Often mistaken for a regular lassi, the Kesar Piyush stands out with its blend of saffron, green cardamom, and nutmeg, offering a unique taste. The "out-of-syllabus" addition of nourishing millets not only enhances its flavour but also boosts its nutritional value. As a delightful addition to festive celebrations like Holi, this recipe holds significance beyond its culinary appeal."

Ingredients:
Godrej Jersey curd or any curd 3 cups
Sugar 3/4 cup
Barnyard millet, cooked till soft 1/2 cup
Saffron strands, soaked in water 1/2 tbsp
Green cardamom, ground fine 1/2 tbsp
A generous pinch of nutmeg, freshly grated

Method:
1. Take the cooked barnyard millets and 2 cups of cold water and churn using a blender.
2. Strain using a fine muslin cloth. The barnyard millet milk is ready.
3. In a clean blender, take Godrej Jersey curd or any other curd, barnyard millets milk, sugar, saffron, cardamom powder, grated nutmeg and blend till fine and thick like a smoothie
4. Serve in tall glasses over ice.

Dry Fruit Lassi
While a traditional lassi is always a favourite, Rajesh Mehta, co-founder of India Sweet House, says you can add dry fruits and make a delicious and loaded Dry Fruit Lassi. With a delicious mix of curd, sugar, cashewnuts, almonds, elaichi powder and milk, the mixture is a perfect treat for this Holi, that is not only tasty but also refreshing. The shelf life of the lassi is four days and can be enjoyed to the fullest on the day of the festival.

Ingredients: (For 1 litre)
Curd 600 ml
Bura sugar 140 gm
Kaju (cashew nuts) 30 gm
Badam (Almonds) 60 gm
Elaichi powder 2 gm
Milk 250 ml
Ice cubes

Method:
1. Soak the almonds in very hot water for 10 minutes.
2. Take out the skin from almonds.
3. Add the curd, bura sugar, elachi, and the dry fruits and blend well till it becomes smooth using a whisk blender (manual process).
4. Blend well till it becomes smooth.
5. Add ice cube and milk to adjust the consistency.
6. Fill it in a dry fruit lassi bottle and keep this inside the refrigerator.

Rose Thandai Lassi

Bringing together the best of both worlds, chef Ruffy Shaikh, senior sous chef at ITC Grand Central in Parel, says you can definitely sip and enjoy a Rose Thandai Lassi. Shaikh shares, "The Rose Thandai Lassi is a creation due to the blend of Indian festivals like Holi and the Ramadan period of fasting that have coincided to inspire the making of this splendid cooling drink. The Rooh Afza from Ramadan and Thandai from Holi is a festival combination of flavours that come together to make the unique version of lassi."

Ingredients:
Skimmed milk 700 ml
Rooh Afza Syrup 50 ml
Thandai masala 50 gm
Pista, chopped 15 gm
Dried Rose Petals 10 leaves

Method:
1. In a juicer, add milk, thandai and Rooh Afza.
2. Blend it till everything is mixed.
3. Garnish with chopped pistachio and dried rose petals.