Traditional Indian Buttermilk 

If you want to have a drink after your meal but don’t want to drink anything carbonated, this drink is for you. I frequently make chaas after a heavy, multi-course meal. The drink’s light consistency and refreshing masala flavor are very pleasant, and it also aids digestion. 

What is Chaas?

Traditional Indian chaas or buttermilk is made by combining cold, rich yogurt with a little water and almost any spices you like. Chaas is made by churning or blending yogurt and water with herbs and spices. While churning, a small amount of butter rises to the surface.

If you prefer, set aside the butter fat and only serve the buttermilk or chaas with the butter fat. We enjoy chaas with that little bit of butterfat. You can make chaas with a blender, immersion blender, wired whisk, or the traditional Indian handheld wooden churner (called madani).

Chaas can be had plain, but it is usually seasoned with salt; this is the most common chaas seasoning. A variety of other seasonings and spices can be added to salted chaas, either alone or in combination. Before being added to the Chaas, these spices are usually roasted in a wok with a spoonful of cooking oil. Coarsely ground and roasted cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, grated ginger, very finely diced green chilies, and mustard seeds are some spices that can be added this way.

Chaas can also be sweetened with sugar, but when this happens, neither salt nor spice is usually used. When sugar is added to chaas, it becomes very similar to lassi, with the main difference being that chaas is more dilute.

Chaas contains probiotics, which help strengthen the immune system and break down lactose into lactic acid, making digestion easier. It contains calcium, vitamin B12, zinc, and proteins like milk and lassi. It’s also very refreshing for your skin. 

So, why wait any further? Just follow the recipe to get it done. 

Notable Ingredient At A Glance

Buttermilk or yogurt – You can use store-bought plain buttermilk, or you can create your own buttermilk at home using yogurt and water. All you have to do is beat the yogurt to make it smooth and add water to make it thin. I have used store-bought buttermilk in this recipe.

Green Indian chili or serrano chili – I suggest using green Indian chilis or serrano chili because it is quite high on the heat scale. The chaas taste good if made a bit hot. You can adjust the heat as per your tolerance. 

Ginger – The spicy and peppery flavor of ginger totally adds to the overall taste of the drink. 

Curry Leaves – The subtle flavor and aroma of curry leaves enhance the drink. 

Salt – You can use black salt or regular table salt. I prefer using black salt. Adjust the quantity as per your taste. 

How To Prepare Chaas?

Take a large blending jar. To the jar, add all the ingredients, ginger, chili, curry leaves, salt, and buttermilk. 

Add about half a cup of water to thin out the drink. We don’t usually add ice because it dilutes the drink, and the buttermilk is already chilled from being in the refrigerator.

Blend everything to form a smooth drink. 

Pour it into a glass using a sieve; since you’re blending curry leaves, ginger, and chili, this will get rid of the small amount of pulp.

Enjoy the chaas and thank me later. 

Some Expert Tips To Prepare Chaas

• Instead of buttermilk, you can use yogurt to prepare chaas. 
• You can use your choice of spices like cumin, pepper, or mustard.
• You can also use pudina or any other herbs for your chaas. Fresh herbs are preferred, but dried herbs can be substituted if they are not available. Use dried mint leaves instead if you have them. 
• If you prefer a thinner chaas or mattha, feel free to add more water or ice cubes.