Lassi with

RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA on modern interpretations of an old classic but have you tried basil? How about a touch of nutmeg or cinnamon or cardamom to take your lassi up a few notches to shahi (fancy) levels? and all bothered. At lunch we shared a giant jug of lassi, and it seemed to cool us down – in the body as well as in the mind. Soothing.

That’s the best way to describe this summer refresher.

Traditionally, lassi is a simple blending of chilled natural yoghurt with chilled water. To flavour it, sugar or salt may be used. Many variations of lassi are available today, but nothing can beat this classic traditional style.

Indian restaurants have popularized the flavoured versions of lassi – mango lassi is a staple at most outlets here. And yet, even though I am a lassi freak, I have stopped ordering it – the restaurant variety is simply too rich for me, so rich that it ruins my main meal. I much prefer the homemade version.

The use of other ingredients such as fruit, and spices and herbs, adds an element of excitement, though. Mango and banana blend well in lassi, but have you tried pineapple? Mint is commonly used in lassi,

Capuccino Lassi

2 tsp good quality instant coffee

2 tbsp hot water

3 tbsp sugar (or more or less depending on taste)

400gm natural yoghurt

Scoops of vanilla ice cream

Chocolate shavings

Another interesting innovation is to substitute flavoured yoghurt for natural yoghurt to come up with an entirely new avatar of lassi

And talking of new avatars, what would you say to a touch of alcohol in your lassi?

Read on for more details. Of course the intoxicating variety of lassi is not really that new – the bhang lassi has been around for years, centuries, probably.

Among the other varieties of lassi, the Gujaratis make the chaas, or chaach, a very thin version of the (thicker and frothier) Punjabi lassi which accompanies the main meal and is spiced with roasted cumin seeds and coriander leaves. At Turkish/Lebanese restaurants you can order the ayran which comes pretty close to our own lassi

Whether you make a classic lassi or a modern interpretation of it, use chilled yoghurt and chilled water or milk, and add a bit of dazzle by decorating with mint, or fresh fruit chunks on toothpicks, or even a cocktail umbrella.

Blend together coffee, hot water and sugar. Add the yoghurt and blend again. Put ice cream into tall glass and pour lassi over. Decorate with chocolate shavings.

Banana

Thick Shake

1 large ripe banana

2 x 200gm cups flavoured yoghurt such as strawberry or apricot

1 tbsp raw sugar

½ cup milk

Blend together all ingredients and serve in tall glasses.

Strawberry Frappe

1 punnet strawberries, hulled

2 x 200gm cups strawberry yoghurt

Scoops of vanilla ice cream or soda water

Mint leaves for garnish

Blend strawberries together with yoghurt, until smooth. Put some ice cubes into a tall glass, and pour the lassi over, up to about three quarters of the way. Top with ice cream or soda and decorate with mint leaves.

Fruit Juice

Lassi

200gm natural yoghurt

1 cup unsweetened fruit juice (apple, orange or pineapple)

Ice cubes

Mint leaves and fresh fruit for garnish

Blend together yoghurt, juice and ice cubes till smooth and frothy. Top with mint leaves and fresh fruit threaded onto toothpick.

Pineapple

Lassi

1 cup pineapple pieces

½ cup natural yoghurt

½ cup water

Sugar if needed

4-5 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients together till smooth. Pour into tall glass and top off with mint leaves.

Apricot Lassi

200gm apricot flavoured yoghurt

1 cup apricot nectar

4-5 ice cubes

Mint leaves and fresh fruit for garnish

Blend together yoghurt, juice and ice cubes till smooth and frothy. Top with mint leaves and fresh fruit threaded onto toothpick.

Champagne Lassi

750ml bottle chilled champagne

2 x 200gm cups flavoured yoghurt (try any fruit flavour or vanilla)

1 cup orange juice

4-5 ice cubes

Blend together yoghurt, orange juice and ice cubes. Pour into chilled wine glasses about half way up. Top with chilled champagne. Garnish with cocktail umbrellas, mint leaves or fruit pieces on toothpicks.

Kids In The Kitchen

Making hamburgers

LAUGH OUT LOUD

Jokes sent in to us by Romy Seth, 9

John came home from school with a nought on his test.

“Why did you get nought?” his mum said.

“Is that a nought?” John answered. “I thought the teacher gave me a moon because she ran out of stars”.

Teacher: And so we find that x equals nought. Student: Huh. All that work for nothing!

John: Hooray! The teacher said we would have a test – rain or shine.

Jack: So why are you so happy?

John: It’s snowing.

John: I don’t think I deserve a nought on this test.

Teacher: Neither do I. But it’s the lowest mark I can give.

Voice on the phone: Is this the school office?

School secretary: Yes, it is.

Voice on the phone: Jenny Smith is too sick to come to school today.

School secretary: Who is this?

Voice on the phone: My mother.

By Devna and Manan Luthra FOTO CORNER

Glad to see the end: Nehchal Anand finds a misplaced road sign

This burger is easy as! Take some mince meat. Add to it chopped onions and grated carrots, salt and pepper, and dried herbs. Then put in two eggs and put in some Hamburger Helper. Then mix it all together and then you can shape it to make a pattie. Cook it on a pan and then put inside a nice big bun. Put some barbecue sauce on top, and some lettuce leaves if you like.

DID YOU KNOW...

* Did you know moths are not really attracted to light? Moths fly towards the blackest point which is behind the light.

* Some people have a fear of maths. It is called arithmophobia.

* Pigs are the fourth most intelligent animal in the world.

* You probably know that there are more sheep than people in New Zealand. Did you know that in Paris, there are more dogs than people?

* India has the world’s largest number of post offices.

* The original name of the butterfly was ‘flutterby’. Makes sense, doesn’t it? DL