Chaas recipe: Check out this popular Indian drink, also known as Chaach or Sambharam, prepared with yoghurt, spices and aromatics, that I made vegan. Chaas is usually served chilled on a hot summer’s day. This chaas recipe calls for plant-based yoghurt, some basic aromatics and that’s it!
Imagine this: You have just come home from a hot summer’s day of hard work. The sun is scorching hot and beating down on you like it’s the end of the world. And all you crave is something that will quench your thirst and nourish you at the same time. Introducing – chaas, a popular drink at the @beextravegant family.
What is Chaach/Chaas/Sambharam?
The Chaas recipe is prepared differently in different parts of the country. Plain Chaas is made with just yoghurt, water and salt but some parts of India mix in spices to make it more delicious and frothy.
In North India, chaas or chaach do not contain ginger or green chillis. Ingredients like mint leaves, cumin and Kala Namak are more prominent and hence, are added to the vegan chaas. Whereas, the South Indian version does not contain cumin or mint leaves.
This recipe is my take on both these variations and it is extremely inexpensive, wholesome and absolutely plant-based. Just FYI, in Indian English, chaas is often referred to as buttermilk, although it’s not really buttermilk. Traditionally buttermilk is churned in a churner until the butter separates from the whey. Okay, enough with the trivia session. Let’s jump right into the recipe.
How to make Vegan Chaas?
Tips to remember: Take thick yoghurt and avoid the one that has more water content. This type of yoghurt will turn runny when you blend it in a blender and the results are not as frothy as you would expect. The thicker the yoghurt, the frothier the Chaas.
The recipe is rather simple. The idea is to blend all ingredients in a blender and serve it chilled. The other way to make the same recipe, you can use a whisk to whisk the yoghurt into a uniform consistency and crush the other ingredients in a mortar and pestle. Combine both the whisked yoghurt and the aromatics in a jar. Serve chilled.
So, here are my step-by-step instructions for you to follow.
- Pour fresh thick yoghurt into a blender jar.
2. Add ginger (skin peeled) and green chillies (stem removed) to the jar.
3. Add ground cumin powder and curry leaves.
4. Add Kala Namak or rock salt and water for consistency.
5. Blend all the ingredients well until combined. Do not over-blend it as the heat from the blender will result in curdling. Pour the Chaas into a glass jar.
6. Serve in a glass with ice cubes and garnish with curry leaves.
Storage: Store in the fridge for a day or two but not more than that. After a day it will start to lose its flavour and turn sour.
This is one of my favourite recipes and I hope you enjoyed it. It is so inexpensive and easy to make. Do try it out and let me know in the comments.
Check out my other recipes here:
Chaas/Chaach/Sambharam – Indian vegan yoghurt-based drink
Ingredients
- 1 cup Soy yoghurt sub with coconut yoghurt, peanut yoghurt or any other plant based options
- 1 1/4 cups water adjust according to desired consistency
- a handful ice cubes
- 1 inch ginger knob peeled
- 2-3 green chilli peppers optional: according to your taste
- 8-9 curry leaves
- 1 tsp Kala namak or black salt Sub with regular salt
- 1 tsp roasted ground cumin
Instructions
With Blender
- Blend all the ingredients together until well combined. Add more water to make it lighter, if desired.
- Adjust salt to taste.
- Let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Mix well before serving.Sub with regular salt
Method to make without blender
- Crush ginger, green chilli peppers and the curry leaves in a mortar and pestle.
- Whisk the yoghurt using a whisk until all the lumpy parts become uniform in texture.
- Add the crushed aromatics into the this yoghurt mix.
- Let it rest so everything infuses well and then serve.
Thank you for sharing, sounds like a very interesting combination. As a Mexican, I cannot imagine a drink that it is not sweet. Though ancient mexicans had a spicy chocolate drink, without sugar. Never tried it tho.
Btw, I was wondering if you have already a recipe for yogurt? It looked homemade. Would love that too! Thanks
I’ve heard so much about the spicy chocolate drink. I really need to try it. And yes, I made soy yogurt at home 😀
Here’s the recipe: https://beextravegant.com/soy-yogurt/