Peach Cardamom Lassi

EVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP
THEME: #255 DAHI DELIGHTS
DISH: PEACH CARDAMOM LASSI
This Week’s Theme on FoodieMonday/Bloghop Group:
This week’s theme Dahi Delights has been suggested by Poonam who blogs at Annapurna. Poonam’s suggestion was to try and use dahi as a main ingredient, for any dish be it a drink, starter, main or dessert. Before I go into explaining what is dahi, I have to mention that Poonam’s crisp, clear and colourful photos of all her dishes is a treat for the eyes. Her blog is a a wonderful balance of vegetarian dishes from India and International.
What is Dahi?
Dahi is the Hindi/Gujarati word for yogurt. The word yogurt is also referred to curd in India. If you ask a shopkeeper for yogurt, he probably will not understand what you’re asking for. Yogurt nowadays is available in all supermarkets all over the world. I remember when I was growing up, my mum always made yogurt at home as we could at that time not buy it readymade. Yogurt basically is made from dairy milk, but having said that these days you will find vegan yogurt which is made from nut milk.
Is it easy to make Yogurt at home?
Yes it is as I still make yogurt at home. Firstly, it is preservative free and much cheaper than ready made one.
Boil the milk:
- Heat the milk till it comes to a boil. Boiling the milk will kill any microbes that are present in the milk. For a very thick set yogurt, the milk is allowed to boil for 20-30 minutes. For everyday use I don’t boil the milk too much. You can use full fat or 2% milk.
Cool the milk:
- Let it cool down at room temperature till its warm. I don’t have a thermometer so my washed finger does the job. I dip the finger in the milk and it should feel comfortable warm. However, if you have a thermometer then the ideal temperature is between 43° – to 46°C.
Add the Starter Culture:
- To about 500ml of warm milk add 1 tsp plain yogurt. Now if this is the first time you’re making the yogurt then you will have to use ready made plain yogurt. I save a bit from the the batch I make to make another batch. So you add about a teaspoon of plain yogurt to the warm milk. Give it a stir.
Find a Warm Place:
- Cover the bowl and place it in a warm place. As I live a hot and humid place, I just leave it on the counter. When I’m in Bangalore where the weather is cooler, I place it in the oven (switched off) or cover it bowl with a small towel so it stays warm. Put the bowl in a place where it will stay undisturbed.
Incubate or let it set:
- Let the mixture incubate for anywhere between 5-10 hours. Cooler weather means it will take longer and hotter weather means that the yogurt will be ready in less time.
Cool it, Store it:
- Once it is set, put the yogurt bowl or container in the fridge for the yogurt to become cool. How do you know it is set? Well the best tell tale is that the solid and whey separate. A little shake and set yogurt will not move. If its still milk it will shake.
- I prefer to make small batches usually about 500 ml so that I have a constant supply of yogurt. Set yogurt usually stays for a week in the fridge, it may turn a little sour.
How do I use Yogurt in my daily diet?
Besides having a bowlful on its own there are several ways I enjoy yogurt:
For Breakfast:
- Mango and Yogurt Smoothie is my favorite breakfast during the mango season.
- Yogurt and Muesli Parfait is another breakfast favorite.
- Enjoy Dahi Chura as a healthy breakfast. Though its usually made on Makar Sankranti day in Bihar, it shouldn’t stop you from enjoying it any day as a breakfast option.
As A Salad:
- Turmeric Yogurt Salad Dressing – whenever I get some fresh turmeric I love to make this dressing to serve with any salad.
- Baigan Raita or Eggplant Yogurt Salad comes to the rescue whenever I want a filling and healthy meal.
- Potato Salad – yogurt is a good replacement for mayonnaise to make this famous salad
Enjoy Yogurt Based Snacks:
- My first choice of Indian Street Food is Dahi Papdi Chaat. Its a burst of flavors and so delicious.
- I still have to come across someone who says they don’t like Dahi Vada. I could have this dish every day. Basically its fried lentil fritters served with yogurt and chutneys.
- Palak Pakodi Chaat is best enjoyed with a generous amount of yogurt.
The Main Meal:
- Sorekai Majjige Huli is a yogurt based curry from the Udupi Cuisine which goes so well with rice. Traditionally ash gourd is used but I used bottle gourd.
- Whenever I need soft flatbread to make wraps, I prefer making Yogurt Roti. Adding yogurt to the wheat flour dough makes the rotis soft.
- Madra is simply a Chickpea Curry made using yogurt. Enjoy it with some rice or flatbread.
- Yogurt Cashew Nut Potato Curry a delicious curry, anyway potato and yogurt is a wonderful combination.
- Make the traditional Gujarati Kadhi which is made from yogurt. Best to enjoy kadhi with rice.
- Chickpea flour and yogurt cooked together makes Pithlu which comes in handy in place of vegetable curry. Usually enjoyed with bhakri.
- Gatte ki sabji is a famous Rajasthani curry made using yogurt.
- Kalan is a yogurt based curry from the Kerala Cuisine.
Delicious Desserts:
- Rose and Saffron Yogurt Mousse is what I usually serve as dessert during the hot season.
- Fruit and Nut Parfait is what we enjoy as a healthy dessert. I simply add some granola, fruits and nuts to greek yogurt or hung yogurt.
- Bhapa Doi is a traditional Bengali baked yogurt dessert. I love to add dulce de leche to it whenever I can.
- Shrikhand, another famous dish from the Gujarati cuisine is made from yogurt. Mostly enjoyed with poori or roti, its a common sweet dish or dessert prepared for dinners and lunches whenever guests are invited.
- My all time favorite is Strawberry Frozen Yogurt.
- If you are looking for a sugar free dessert then Banana Cinnamon Frozen Yogurt is perfect.
A Light Meal:
- Chilled Cucumber and Yogurt Soup is best enjoyed when the weather is very hot and humid.
- Avocado Mint Lassi – enjoy as a meal whenever you get avocados.
Drinks:
- Cucumber Coriander Chaas, Coriander Garlic Chaas or Vaghareli Chaas is what we have every single day. Best way to enjoy the health benefits of yogurt.
From Poonam’s blog Annapurna I would love to try out:
- Curd Quinoa, whereby she has given a twist to the traditional curd rice by using quinoa.
- Maharashtrian Doodhichi Koshimbir, which is grated bottle gourd in yogurt. Such a simple and healthy salad to enjoy.
What is Lassi?
Lassi is a yogurt based drink which can be sweet or with salt. It usually is thick like a smoothie and very filling. This yogurt based drink from the Indian Sub Continent is best enjoyed during the hot summer season. To know more about lassi and the chaas read this post.
Why did I decide to make a Lassi for this theme?
There are several ways I could have used yogurt to prepare a dish for this theme. However, I decided to make lassi for two main reasons, one that the weather here is a bit erratic. It rains for about 15-20 minutes and after that its just too hot and humid to hang around in the kitchen for a long time. Secondly, the peaches I got from my veg and fruit supplier were all ready! It was a tussle between and unhealthy treat peaches and cream and a healthier filling and nutritious peach lassi. Just as well I chose to make the latter.
Peach Cardamom Lassi
The Peach Cardamom Lassi became my light lunch option, filling, nutritious, cooling, refreshing and did I mention super yummy? The peach was sweet and instead of sugar I opted for honey. Surprisingly, cardamom does taste good with peach. Enjoy as a snack, a breakfast treat, on its own as a light meal or along with your main meal.
Ingredients required for Peach Cardamom Lassi:
- Peach – use a ripe peach large or two small ones
- Yogurt – plain yogurt, either homemade or store bought
- Milk – use dairy milk or any milk of your choice
- Ice Cubes – for a cool lassi
- Honey – add according to your taste. can replace it with a sweetener of your choice
- Cardamom powder – for flavoring but feel free to use cinnamon if you like
Dietary Tips:
- Gluten Free
- Satvik
- Healthy
- Vegetarian
- For a Vegan version replace the milk, yogurt with a vegan milk and yogurt. Replace the honey with maple syrup of any other vegan friendly sweetener.

PEACH CARDAMOM LASSI
Ingredients
- 1 large peach
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- ½ cup milk
- 1-2 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- some ice cubes
Instructions
- Wash and cut the peach into pieces. Remember to remove the stone.
- Add it to a blender along with milk, yogurt and honey.
- Process till the peach is crushed.
- Add some ice cubes to 2 serving glasses.
- Pour the lassi over the ice cubes.
- Sprinkle cardamom powder over the lassi and serve immediately.
Notes
- For a vegan version use vegan milk and yogurt.
- Replace cardamom with cinnamon if you wish.
- Can cool the lassi in the refrigerator till required.
- Don't store it for more than a day as the colour changes.
- Replace the honey with maple syrup, sugar or stevia.
- Try using some other fresh fruits instead of peach to make a fruit lassi.
Pin for later:
A little request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
- add a comment below,
- send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
- tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
- or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962
26 Comments
Priya Vj
July 13, 2020 at 5:14 pm
such a bright looking Lassi..I thought this was some yummy peach milkshake. Loved the addition of honey and cardamom to the lassi instead of sugar. I am drooling looking at the yummy clicks
mayurisjikoni
July 13, 2020 at 7:15 pm
Thank you so much Priya. I try and avoid sugar wherever its replaceable.
Sangeeta sethi
July 13, 2020 at 8:23 pm
Very refreshing healthy n flavourful delight .
mayurisjikoni
July 14, 2020 at 8:46 pm
Thank you so much Sangeeta.
The Girl Next Door
July 14, 2020 at 8:51 pm
Such a pretty looking lassi this is! Totally love the colour. I’d never have thought of using peach in a lassi – super Innovative. I can imagine the brilliant flavours. 🙂
mayurisjikoni
July 14, 2020 at 10:02 pm
Thank you so much Priya. I too would not have thought of it if the peaches hadn’t ripened altogether!
Poonam Bachhav
July 15, 2020 at 8:29 am
I remember making a Peach Phirni when my whole batch of peaches ripened all together. Using ripe peaches in a lassi flavored with cardamom powder is brilliant! I love the beautiful color peaches have lended to the lassi.
mayurisjikoni
July 15, 2020 at 3:18 pm
Thank you so much Poonam. Peach phirni sounds delicious.
Swati
July 16, 2020 at 2:07 am
Peach Lassi sounds so delicious. I use it in making desserts or we like to eat it just like that , going to try lassi now.. Such a gorgeous color looks like an exotic drink/shake!
mayurisjikoni
July 16, 2020 at 2:14 pm
Thank you so much Swaty, we usually have it on its own or to make desserts but had to try something different and healthy.
Priya Srinivasan
July 16, 2020 at 9:26 am
Peach cardamom lassi looks very colorful mayuriji . A tall glass of this delicious lassi would definitely keep us full, a healthy meal option 😊
mayurisjikoni
July 16, 2020 at 2:12 pm
Thank you so much Priya and yes its very filling.
Archana
July 16, 2020 at 12:09 pm
Simple and delicious! I never thought of using peach in lassi. In my place if we have peaches they just disappear Thanks to yours truly. ;D.
Given a choice I will make peaches n cream n wish my skin was same. But now at current age I am I better go healthy n less fattening stuff. Because fat loves me these days and does not understand he is an unwanted guest.
I loved the way you have taken the pic. The heights n the outside frame looks beautiful.
mayurisjikoni
July 16, 2020 at 2:08 pm
Thank you so much Archana.. peaches and cream would have been my choice too but just as well didn’t have any cream at home.
Kalyani
July 17, 2020 at 7:01 pm
Peaches n cardamom play so brilliantly with each other to make lassi more wonderful . Loving the gorgeous pics and the set up too !
mayurisjikoni
July 19, 2020 at 3:18 pm
Thank you so much Kalyani.. its is a cooling and filling drink.
Preethicuisine
July 18, 2020 at 10:50 am
Peach cardamom lassi looks delicious. Absolutely refreshing and flavorful. I can survive on this lassi all the time .Beautiful clicks.
mayurisjikoni
July 19, 2020 at 3:08 pm
Thank you so much Preethi. I too love it.
Vasusvegkitchen
July 19, 2020 at 4:37 pm
Peach cardamom lassi looks very delicious with lovely presentation Di. It’s very filling and healthy too, the flavors of cardamom in lassi is just awesome. Loved all your recipe collection Di, they are very interesting.
mayurisjikoni
July 21, 2020 at 12:13 am
Thank you so much Aruna.
Sasmita
July 26, 2020 at 6:12 pm
Peach lassi sounds so yum and looks like a refreshing treat !
I love the taste of peach, so I will surely make sometime. Cardamom flavors must be enhancing the overall taste in this delectable lassi
mayurisjikoni
July 26, 2020 at 10:51 pm
Thank you so much Sasmita. The lassi was very delicious especially since the peaches were very sweet.
Jayashree T.Rao
August 31, 2020 at 11:17 am
Peach in lassi looks and sounds so good. A perfect summer drink, refreshing and tasty.
mayurisjikoni
September 1, 2020 at 10:14 pm
Thank you so much Jayashree.
Seema Sriram
March 14, 2022 at 6:12 am
Tried out this peach lassi with the last batch of peaches for the season. I am so glad i did as I am going to freeze some peaches tomorrow to have the later as well.
mayurisjikoni
March 14, 2022 at 4:41 pm
Thanks Seema am so glad you enjoyed the delicious peach lassi. We love and can’t wait for summer to enjoy it.