Chaas - Gujarati salted lassi

To mark the official start of summer on Monday I thought I would share my mum's recipe for chaas - a refreshing Gujarati yogurt based drink. The main differerence to lassi is that it has a higher proportion of water and so is lighter. My grandma used to make it everyday to eat with lunch (the main meal of the day in Gujarat) as it is thought that the bacteria in the yogurt aid digestion. However I just drink it on hot summer days as it is very refreshing.  Hopefully I will have many opportunities to serve chaas this summer!

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 200 millilitres plain natural yogurt
• 400 millilitres cold water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 stalk coriander - chopped

Method

1. Heat a completely clean and dry pan for several minutes until it is so hot that a drop of water evaporates immediately. 
2. Now add the the cumin seeds and toss until they start releasing their aroma.  Be careful not to roast them for too long as they will burn and have a bitter taste.
3. Remove the cumin from the heat and crush them using a pestle and mortar.
4. Place the yogurt and water in a blender along with 3/4 teaspoon of crushed cumin and salt. Blend until frothy.
5. Serve immediately over ice and garnish with the remaining crushed cumin and chopped coriander.