Rajasthani Chaach Spiced Buttermilk Desert Cooler

Method

1. 1

   Churn the yogurt: Pour 2 cups yogurt into a deep vessel. Using a traditional wooden churner (madani) or a hand blender or electric blender, churn for 1 to 2 minutes until the yogurt is completely smooth and slightly frothy.

2. 2

   Add cold water: Add 4 cups cold water gradually while stirring. The Rajasthani chaach uses proportionally more water than the Punjabi lassi — it should be very thin and flowing.

3. 3

   Add roasted cumin: Add roasted cumin powder. Stir well.

4. 4

   Add black salt and regular salt: Add black salt and a pinch of regular salt. The black salt provides the characteristic complex, mineral note of good chaach.

5. 5

   Add ginger: Add finely grated fresh ginger. The fresh ginger adds a clean sharpness.

6. 6

   Add green chilli: If using, add the finely minced green chilli for additional heat.

7. 7

   Add dried or fresh mint: Add crumbled dried mint or finely chopped fresh mint. Stir.

8. 8

   Taste and adjust: The chaach should be: cooling and thin, slightly tangy from the yogurt, salty, earthy from the cumin and fresh from the mint and ginger. Adjust each element.

9. 9

   Add ice: Add 5 to 6 ice cubes. Stir.

10. 10

    Serve in large steel glasses: Rajasthani chaach is served in large quantities — a half-litre glass is not unusual during peak summer. Serve in the largest available glasses.

11. 11

    Note: Chaach (buttermilk) is the primary summer survival drink of Rajasthan — a state where summer temperatures regularly exceed 48°C in the desert districts of Barmer, Jaisalmer and Bikaner. In these districts, chaach stalls serve continuously from 8 am through the night and people drink chaach by the litre. The spiced version with cumin, ginger and black salt is the Rajasthani variation — the plain salted version is also widely available. Made from the buttermilk left after churning butter from yogurt.