Spiced Buttermilk (takra)
A cool, tangy drink of yogurt beaten until frothy, thinned with water, spiced with roasted cumin, ginger, and curry leaves. Light, lively, it soothes after the meal.
A cool, tangy drink of yogurt beaten until frothy, thinned with water, spiced with roasted cumin, ginger, and curry leaves. Light, lively, it soothes after the meal.
Drink, now, your leaf is nearly empty. Here is takra, the churned milk from our churns: we turn, turn the stick in the earthen pot until the butter rises, and what remains, this white and slightly sour water, we perfume it with cumin and ginger. It is the drink of cowherds, the one my Krishna drank over there, with his milk mother. Nothing quenches the body better nor soothes the belly after the table.
- •Yogurt (dahi) — one ladle (fermented base)
- •Fresh water — twice as much (diluent)
- •Roasted cumin — a pinch (spice)
- •Fresh ginger — a piece (freshness)
- •Rock salt — a pinch (seasoning)
- •Curry leaves — a few (aromatic)
Spiced Buttermilk (takra)
A cool, tangy drink of yogurt beaten until frothy, thinned with water, spiced with roasted cumin, ginger, and curry leaves. Light, lively, it soothes after the meal.
Why this dish? Takra — yogurt churned and thinned with water — was the digestive and refreshing drink of ancient Indian homes, and the signature beverage of the cowherd world where Krishna grew up. Devaki, mother of the child god, is linked by every pot of milk to this son raised far from her among churns and herds.
Drink, now, your leaf is nearly empty. Here is takra, the churned milk from our churns: we turn, turn the stick in the earthen pot until the butter rises, and what remains, this white and slightly sour water, we perfume it with cumin and ginger. It is the drink of cowherds, the one my Krishna drank over there, with his milk mother. Nothing quenches the body better nor soothes the belly after the table.
Ingredients (period version)
- Yogurt (dahi) — one ladle (fermented base)
- Fresh water — twice as much (diluent)
- Roasted cumin — a pinch (spice)
- Fresh ginger — a piece (freshness)
- Rock salt — a pinch (seasoning)
- Curry leaves — a few (aromatic)
Ingredients
- Full-fat plain yogurt — 150 g (fermented base)
- Fresh water — 300 ml (diluent)
- Ground roasted cumin — 1/4 tsp (spice)
- Fresh grated ginger — 1/4 tsp (freshness)
- Salt — 1 pinch (seasoning)
- Curry leaves and fresh cilantro — a few (aromatic)
Method
- Whisk the yogurt vigorously until smooth and frothy.
- Gradually dilute with fresh water to a fluid consistency.
- Add roasted cumin, ginger, and salt, mix well.
- Crush the curry leaves and cilantro, add them (or crackle them for 5 seconds in a drop of ghee for a more fragrant takra).
- Serve well chilled, in a copper or earthenware cup.
How it was made : Takra (ancestor of spiced chaas / buttermilk) is the byproduct of churning yogurt to extract butter: economical, probiotic, it was drunk everywhere in ancient India and is still recommended by Ayurvedic medicine as a digestive. No New World spices enter the recipe: cumin, ginger, and curry leaves suffice.
The contemporary twist : Serve over ice in a frosted glass with a sprig of mint — a quick 'salted lassi', perfect to cut the heat of a summer meal.
Devaki · Charactorium