flipChaas — spiced cumin buttermilk
Chaas — spiced cumin buttermilk
Why this dish? Alia places great importance on hydration, especially under the heat of the lights and Mumbai's humid climate. Chaas — whisked buttermilk, salted and flavored with roasted cumin — is exactly the drink Indian families serve at the end of a meal to aid digestion and cool down, healthier than soda and deeply traditional.
Yogurt thinned with cool water and whisked until frothy, spiked with toasted cumin, black salt, ginger, and coriander. Light, tangy, refreshing: the Indian answer to a heatwave, served ice-cold.
On set, between takes, plain water isn't always enough — I ask for a tall glass of chilled chaas. You whisk yogurt with cold water until it froths, a pinch of roasted cumin, black salt, a bit of ginger… and boom, you're revived. Mom says it soothes the stomach after a spicy meal. It's a thousand times better than a sugary drink, and it's what my family has always had.
- •Homemade yogurt (dahi) — one bowl (tangy dairy base)
- •Cool water — twice the yogurt (dilution)
- •Roasted ground cumin — a pinch (warm aroma)
- •Black salt (kala namak) — to taste (mineral saltiness)
- •Fresh ginger, coriander, curry leaves — a little (freshness)
Chaas — spiced cumin buttermilk
Yogurt thinned with cool water and whisked until frothy, spiked with toasted cumin, black salt, ginger, and coriander. Light, tangy, refreshing: the Indian answer to a heatwave, served ice-cold.
Why this dish? Alia places great importance on hydration, especially under the heat of the lights and Mumbai's humid climate. Chaas — whisked buttermilk, salted and flavored with roasted cumin — is exactly the drink Indian families serve at the end of a meal to aid digestion and cool down, healthier than soda and deeply traditional.
On set, between takes, plain water isn't always enough — I ask for a tall glass of chilled chaas. You whisk yogurt with cold water until it froths, a pinch of roasted cumin, black salt, a bit of ginger… and boom, you're revived. Mom says it soothes the stomach after a spicy meal. It's a thousand times better than a sugary drink, and it's what my family has always had.
Ingredients (period version)
- Homemade yogurt (dahi) — one bowl (tangy dairy base)
- Cool water — twice the yogurt (dilution)
- Roasted ground cumin — a pinch (warm aroma)
- Black salt (kala namak) — to taste (mineral saltiness)
- Fresh ginger, coriander, curry leaves — a little (freshness)
Ingredients
- Plain yogurt — 200 g (base)
- Cold water — 400 ml (dilution)
- Cumin seeds — 1 tsp (toasted) (aroma)
- Black salt (kala namak) or fine salt — 1/2 tsp (saltiness)
- Fresh grated ginger — 1 cm (fresh heat)
- Chopped fresh coriander — 1 tbsp (freshness)
- Ice cubes — as desired (chilled service)
Method
- Toast the cumin seeds dry until fragrant, then coarsely grind.
- Whisk the yogurt vigorously with cold water (whisk, blender, or churn) until frothy.
- Stir in black salt, grated ginger, half the cumin, and coriander.
- Taste and adjust salt/sourness.
- Serve chilled with ice cubes, sprinkled with remaining cumin and a bit of coriander.
How it was made : Chaas (or matha) directly descends from churning yogurt to make butter: the leftover whey, thinned and spiced, has been drunk since ancient Indian times as a refreshing and digestive beverage. Every household adjusts salt and spices; in Gujarat and Maharashtra it accompanies almost every summer meal.
The contemporary twist : A 'spa' version with a few mint leaves and a splash of lime, served in a frosted glass.
Alia Bhatt · Charactorium
