Lassi & Flavoured Milk

Lassi is a yogurt drink from Punjab and northern India, churned with water and either sugar or salt. Sweet lassi is often flavoured with mango, rose or cardamom, while salted lassi, sometimes called chaas or mattha when it is thinner, may carry roasted cumin and mint. Flavoured milk is the other half of this shelf: badam milk with almond and saffron, kesar milk, rose milk, and the chocolate, strawberry and banana milks children reach for. It sits inside milk and malt drinks.

To choose, decide between yogurt and milk. Lassi is tangy and thick, and it calms the heat of a spicy curry or biryani. Flavoured milk is sweeter and smoother, more of a snack in itself. Long life cartons and bottles keep in the cupboard until opened, which suits a lunchbox or a picnic. Any chilled lassi or milk drink is delivered within our local delivery area only, and it should go straight in the fridge.

Serve both well chilled. Once a carton is opened, keep it in the fridge and finish it within a couple of days. A pinch of roasted cumin or chaat masala lifts a salted lassi, and a few strands of saffron or crushed pistachio dress up badam milk. For powders to make your own, see hot chocolate and milkshake, for plain yogurt the chilled and dairy section, and for more cold drinks, soft drinks and juices.