flipChaas, Spiced Gujarati Buttermilk
Chaas, Spiced Gujarati Buttermilk
Why this dish? Milk and its derivatives were central to Gandhi's diet (he preferred goat's milk). Chaas — buttermilk diluted with water, whisked, lightly salted — is the daily digestive drink of Gujarat, sober and refreshing, perfectly suited to his alcohol-free table.
Buttermilk whisked with cool water, perfumed with roasted cumin, ginger and curry leaves, lightly salted. Light, tangy, fermented: the drink that soothes the belly after a meal.
I have never touched wine or liquor, and have felt no regret: to refresh oneself, churned buttermilk is a thousand times better. Beat it long with cool water, throw in a pinch of roasted cumin and salt, and drink it after the meal — it helps the body do its work. Among us, no one would let a guest leave without offering him a cup.
- •Curd (dahi), ideally goat's milk — one measure (fermented base)
- •Cool water — double (dilution)
- •Roasted cumin — a pinch (flavor)
- •Fresh ginger — a piece (gentle warmth)
- •Curry leaves — a few (aroma)
- •Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Chaas, Spiced Gujarati Buttermilk
Buttermilk whisked with cool water, perfumed with roasted cumin, ginger and curry leaves, lightly salted. Light, tangy, fermented: the drink that soothes the belly after a meal.
Why this dish? Milk and its derivatives were central to Gandhi's diet (he preferred goat's milk). Chaas — buttermilk diluted with water, whisked, lightly salted — is the daily digestive drink of Gujarat, sober and refreshing, perfectly suited to his alcohol-free table.
I have never touched wine or liquor, and have felt no regret: to refresh oneself, churned buttermilk is a thousand times better. Beat it long with cool water, throw in a pinch of roasted cumin and salt, and drink it after the meal — it helps the body do its work. Among us, no one would let a guest leave without offering him a cup.
Ingredients (period version)
- Curd (dahi), ideally goat's milk — one measure (fermented base)
- Cool water — double (dilution)
- Roasted cumin — a pinch (flavor)
- Fresh ginger — a piece (gentle warmth)
- Curry leaves — a few (aroma)
- Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Plain yogurt (or fermented goat milk) — 200 g (fermented base)
- Cold water — 400 ml (dilution)
- Roasted cumin powder — 1/2 tsp (flavor)
- Fresh grated ginger — 1/2 tsp (gentle warmth)
- Fresh curry leaves (optional) — 4 or 5 (aroma)
- Salt — 1 pinch (seasoning)
Method
- Vigorously whisk the yogurt with cold water until frothy and smooth (using a whisk or blender).
- Dry-roast the cumin for one minute then crush it; add to the buttermilk.
- Stir in the grated ginger, salt and optionally the finely chopped curry leaves.
- Serve well chilled in a cup, without ice (it was cooled with well water).
How it was made : Curd was churned in an earthen jar with a wooden churn (the same technique as for making butter), yielding both butter and buttermilk. Chaas thus made use of all the milk, in a spirit of waste-avoidance dear to the Gujarati household.
The contemporary twist : Serve in a frosted glass with a fresh mint leaf: a "salted lassi" version, thirst-quenching antithesis of soda.
Gandhi · Charactorium
