What is Coriander Garlic Chaas?
Chaas also known as chaach is a popular yogurt based drink that is widely served during meals or enjoyed on its own all over the Indian Sub Continent. It can be just plain yogurt, water and salt all whisked together or it may have some spices, herbs and flavorings. All depends.
Advantages of including Chaas in your daily diet
- The most important reason is that it rehydrates the body and thus its popularity during the hot summer months. Its usually made in earthen pots or clay pots and allowed to rest for hours so that it becomes cool.
- Its usually served with a meal as it helps to calm the stomach after a spicy meal. Acting as a coolant, its stops the irritation of the stomach lining.
- When pepper, cumin powder or ginger are added to chaas these ingredients help digestion.
- As yogurt is rich in calcium, its a healthy way to get your daily dose of calcium.
- Yogurt is known to reduce acidity therefore for those who suffer from it, Chaas makes a good drink as it helps to settle the burning sensation.
- Chaas is usually given to sick person as it boosts ones energy, provide vitamins and mineral and acts like a meal especially for those who cannot eat any food.
Is Chaas and Lassi the same?
Not really though often they are interchanged. Chaas is usually made with added water and has no sugar. Lassi on the other hand is thick like a smoothie, may have a little added milk and may have sugar, honey or any other sweetener added to it. Sometimes lassi can be of the savory kind too, with salt added but its still thick like a smoothie. These days there are a variety of fresh fruits added to lassi.
Memories…..
It was one of those rare trips with my huge family from Gondal to Anand, Gujarat. We stopped at one of the roadside restaurants to have our dinner. As we were a huge group we had to occupy about 6 tables. While we were waiting for our meal to arrive, we ordered drinks on our table. While my sister in law stuck to her usual order of water, my brother, hubby and I ordered some Chaas.
Nice cooling, tasty chaas with a lovely froth on top. Taking a sip, my brother asked my sister in law ” Why can’t we have chaas everyday?” Sister in law asked “Even in Winter as its so cold?” My brother replied ” It is cold outside but nothing inside the home.” After that not sure if they have chaas every day but hubby and I do, every single day. It is mostly very hot in Mombasa so a cool glass of chaas is very hydrating.
Some variety of Chaas you can enjoy every day
Cucumber Coriander Chaas – cucumber and coriander and blended with yogurt and water to make an extra cooling drink.
Vaghareli Chaas – my all time favorite is whereby a tempering of ghee, cumin, fresh chopped coriander, curry leaves and green chilli is added to the chaas.
Mattha – Poonam makes the healthy Maharashtrian Mattha using yogurt, ginger, chilli and black salt.
Ingredients required for Coriander Garlic Chaas
- Yogurt – plain yogurt. Usually I use homemade yogurt, but you can use ready made one.
- Water – depending on how thin or thick you like chaas. I prefer it not too watery or too thick.
- Fresh Coriander – washed and chopped
- Curry Leaves – optional, but it has cooling properties. Wash and chop them up roughly.
- Garlic – you need very little as its going to be added raw. Garlic is proven to be very good for the circulatory system.
- Salt – according to your taste
- Fresh Green Chilli – washed and chopped. Optional if you don’t like chilli food.
- Ice Cubes – if the chaas is not cold enough serve it with ice cubes added to it.
Dietary Tips:
- Gluten Free
- vegetarian
- Healthy
Updated on 19/06/2020
CORIANDER GARLIC CHAAS
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup fresh coriander chopped
- ½ -1 clove garlic peeled
- 8 curry leaves
- 1 small green chilli, chopped optional
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Blend together the yogurt and water with a hand whisk. Add the salt and mix well.
- Grind the coriander, curry leaves, garlic and chilli into a paste using a food processor.
- Add it to the yogurt mixture. Mix well.
- Add some ice cubes into two tall glasses.
- Pour the chaas over the ice cubes and serve.
- You can prepare the chaas and leave it in the fridge till its cold.
Tips:
- Try out the mint chilli garlic variety instead of the coriander.
- I like to make extra coriander, garlic, curry leaves and chilli paste and store it in the freezer in a zip lock bag, patted down. Whenever I want to add it to the chaas, I snap the required amount and add it.
- You can add more water if you like a thinner yogurt drink.
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If you do try this recipe then please either
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