Beat the heat - Lassi

Mango Lassi:

Mango Lassi is the perfect cooler on a hot day. You can add extra sweetness to it (if you like) with sugar or honey. If you're making it for kids and want to avoid the sugar, use unsweetened fruit juice or pulp. This recipe makes 4 glasses of lassi.

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

3 glasses of yogurt (use a glass you will serve the lassi in, to measure)

1 glass of crushed ice (measure as above)

1 glass ripe mango pieces or pulp

Sugar to taste/unsweetened fruit juice or pulp

1 tsp slivered almonds for each glass

A dollop of thick cream for each glass (optional)

Preparation:

• Put the yogurt, mango, ice and sugar/juice/pulp in a blender and blend till smooth.
• Pour out into glasses, top with a dollop of cream each and slivered almonds and serve.

Pina Colada Lassi:

An Indian twist on a hugely popular western drink! This recipe was invented by a close friend of mine. Pina Colada Lassi is perfect on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:

150 ml chilled pineapple juice (approx 5 fl ounces)

150 ml coconut cream (approx 5 fl ounces)

150 ml thick sweetened (but unflavored) yogurt (approx 5 fl ounces)

1 cup crushed ice

1/4 cup finely chopped pineapple pieces

2 maraschino cherries to garnish

Preparation:

Blend the pineapple juice, coconut milk, yogurt and crushed ice in a blender till smooth.

Pour into 2 tall, chilled glasses, garnish each with finely chopped pineapple and a maraschino cherry and serve!

Angoori Lassi:

This lush, creamy drink is sure to impress whoever you make it for! It is a terrific summer thirst quencher! This recipe makes 3 tall glasses of Angoori Lassi.

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 1/2 glasses (roughly 250 ml capacity) of fresh creamy unsweetened yogurt

1 cup crushed ice

4 tbsps sugar

1 cup seedless grapes - red or green - chopped fine

A pinch of salt

Preparation:

Heat a pan or griddle on medium heat and roast the cumin seeds till slightly darker and aromatic.

Remove from heat, grind to a fine powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder.

Put the cumin powder (reserve a small amount to garnish the drinks), yogurt, crushed ice, grapes (reserve a small amount to garnish the drinks) sugar, salt into a blender. Blend till smooth.

Pour into tall, chilled glasses. garnish with chopped grapes and a sprinkling of cumin powder and serve!