Why You’ll Love this Recipe
What is Lassi?
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
Mango lassi is made with the base ingredients of yogurt, milk, and mango pulp. It’s more or less a mango smoothie with yogurt. I was FaceTiming my mom and said, “mom why don’t I have any fond childhood memories of you making me mango lassis?” Apparently, my mom always tried to make me mango lassis growing up, and I would always complain that they don’t taste like the Indian restaurants or the ones we would drink in India. My dad would get mangoes from Costco and there was just something off about them. After a lot of trial and error with fresh mangoes, frozen mangoes, and mango puree… I’m ready to share my two secrets to the perfect, authentic mango lassis: alphonso mango pulp and dahi. These two simple ingredients is how you get it to taste exactly like the lassis at the Indian restaurant! Lassi is a yogurt-based drink that originates from the Punjab region of India. It’s typically made sweet, or sometimes even salty with a blend of yogurt, milk, spices, salt, and fruit or some type of flavoring. A Mango Lassi is a tangy, sweet, and creamy Indian mango drink. Thanks to Indian restaurants, Mango Lassi is the most popular version of lassis across the world. You can also find Rose Lassis, salty (namkeen) lassis, and Strawberry Lassi at most Indian restaurants if you ask if they have different options. Sticking to the recommended ingredients will give you the best flavor and consistency. However, I’ll give you the best substitutes to get as close as possible to an authentic lassi. From there, the additions are ultimately up to you to customize your lassi.
Mango - Alphonso mangoes or kesar mangoes are the best to use for mango lassis. They’re native to India and incredibly sweet. Their smell is sweet and intoxicating. You can find them at Indian grocers when they’re in season for a pretty penny, otherwise they’re available canned. You simply cannot replicate the restaurant-style lassi without this variety of mango. You can use still use fresh ripe champagne mangoes or frozen mangoes for a delicious lassi. You’ll just need an entire cup of it in pureed form. You can also use 2-3 tablespoons of the canned mango pulp with fresh or frozen mangoes to stretch the pulp for more lassis! Yogurt - Plain whole milk yogurt, like Indian dahi, is the best thing to use for that tangy taste you get from a restaurant lassi. Be sure to use the thick curd rather than the whey sitting at the top. Ideally, substitute it with a tangy European yogurt like plain skyrr, but you can also use low-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt to meet any dietary needs. Use a plain vegan yogurt of your choice (coconut is preferred) for a plant-based alternative. Milk - Depending on how smooth your mango puree is, you’ll need milk to thin out the lassi and get the right consistency. I recommend whole milk. To make this mango lassi vegan you can also use almond or cashew milk. Sweetener - Use white granulated sugar to sweeten the lassi. You can also use honey, maple syrup, agave, or other substitutes. If you’re using a canned mango pulp, it’s most likely already sweetened, which means you should add sugar reservedly to your mixture just enough to balance the sour taste of the citric acid in the canned mango puree and tangy dahi. Spices - A pinch of freshly ground green cardamom will really elevate your lassi! We garnish with kesar (saffron) sometimes as well. You can also add a small amount of rosewater for fragrance without overpowering the mango flavor. In that case, you might really love a Mango Mastani.
🥭 Which Mangoes to use
Why Alphonso Mangoes?
Alphonso mangoes or kesar mangoes give lassis that authentic taste you get at the restaurants. Alphonso mangoes are beloved by Indians for being rich, non-fibrous, juicy, pulpy, fragrant, and vibrant in color. They are the superior mango, which I know is controversial to say. I’ve been lucky enough to find fresh mangoes in Indian grocery stores around Jersey City during peak season when they are imported. However, they are extremely expensive at prices of almost $50/box, if not more. Thankfully, you can still buy canned pulp year round and I promise it’s just as good.
Best Fresh Alternatives to Alphonso Mangoes
Other mangoes, like the red mango and champagne mango, commonly found at U.S. grocery stores work for lassis, but it will always leave you wondering why it doesn’t taste exactly like the one you get at an Indian restaurant. This is because they’re too fibrous. Trust me, teenage Shweta has already gone through those trials for you. It’s just not the same. However, with the lack of options here in the United States, I would go with ripe Mexican champagne (or ataulfo) mangoes. If you’re located outside of the U.S., your main goal is to find a variety of mango that is juicy, sweet, and non-fibrous for the best results.
How to tell when the Mangoes are Ripe
At this point, you can also cube them up, transfer them to a Ziploc bag, and freeze them to use for lassis throughout the year.
Which Yogurt to use
We typically use dahi for lassis, which is yogurt or curd prepared in the Indian subcontinent using cow’s whole milk and a yogurt culture (starter). My mom makes fresh dahi at home just about every week. The dahi in India is so rich, creamy, and tangy from using fresh cow’s milk. If you can find dahi at your local Indian grocer, I would highly recommend using it. Otherwise, use plain whole milk yogurt or skyrr.
How to make Mango Lassi
Making Mango Lassi is so easy I debated on whether I even needed this section. The main thing before starting is to make sure all of your ingredients are chilled, including the mango puree. Ideally, you can even freeze the mango puree in ice cube trays which will ensure your lassi stays chilled for longer. If you forget to chill your ingredients or leave them on the counter for too long, add 5 medium-sized ice cubes to the blender. It’ll dilute the flavor a bit, but not enough to complain about.
Make it in a Blender
Make it in a Mason Jar
Add the mango puree, milk, yogurt, cardamom, and sugar into a mason jar. Screw the lid on securely and shake for two minutes. Adjust for sweetness. Enjoy!
Serving Instructions
Mango Lassis are supposed to be a cooling drink - whether it’s hot in the summer or battling spicy food. The point is, it should be chilled when served but we don’t use ice in this recipe.
Use sweet, ripe, non-fibrous mangos for the best taste, preferably alphonso or kesar mangoes in canned pulp form if fresh are not available. Freshly ground cardamom gives the best aroma and flavor enhancement. Use dahi if possible, otherwise use plain whole milk yogurt or skyrr. Whole milk gives the best taste and creamy consistency. Add ¼ teaspoon of rose water, 1 teaspoon of bloomed saffron milk, or a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor of the lassi.
I like to keep my alphonso mango pulp in the fridge before I plan on making lassi. That way the lassi is cold when it’s blended with the chilled yogurt and milk as well, no ice necessary. You can also keep the serving glasses in the fridge or even chill the lassi in the fridge for half an hour before serving it. I find that ice cubes dilute the lassi too much when it’s supposed to be rich, thick, and luscious. Serve it with this Peanut Chaat and Chicken Samosas for appetizers. Continue to enjoy it’s soothing powers with spicy foods like Butter Chicken over Basmati Rice and Chicken 65 wrapped in naan with cilantro chutney.
Storage Instructions
Mango Lassis should be served immediately. It’ll separate in the fridge after a few hours and can be stirred back together, but ideally it should be enjoyed the day of. The major thing to note here is that if you’re using canned mango pulp, be sure to transfer the remaining pulp to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. The can will rust quickly once opened, and you don’t want to toss all that delicious mango!
More Indian Drink Recipes to try
Recipe
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