This traditional spiced buttermilk drink is old-school but brilliantly effective in the summer heat. Spiced buttermilk or yogurt drink is known by many names throughout India (sambhaaram, morum vellam, majjige, masala chaas, mattha) and is a healthy way to beat the heat.
We are in the middle of a heat wave with heat indices well into the 100s. And it is only the beginning of June; I shudder to imagine what July will be like. You might have read of our family’s love for cold summer beverages, and over the years, I have blogged a good number of beverage recipes. But one day, when I was thinking about some new way to beat the heat, I remembered an old-school recipe from my childhood.
There is this drink that was a staple at every Kerala Hindu wedding that I have ever attended. Sambhaaram or morum vellam would be served along with plain rice as a sort of palate cleanser at the end of the sumptuous vegetarian feast. Whether you drank it from a glass or mixed it with your last morsel of rice, it was a signal to the server that you were done with the main meal and are now ready for the dessert (an array of payasams mostly…yum!).
Sambhaaram is a spiced buttermilk drink that is refreshing, delicious and has digestive properties too. It is usually made with diluted buttermilk that is left behind after churning butter from milk cream. Thick yogurt diluted with water is an acceptable substitute if you don’t have buttermilk. Chopped green chilies, ginger and curry leaves are added to the buttermilk along with roasted and crushed cumin seeds. This is allowed to infuse so that the drink ends up refreshingly spicy and creamy.
This spiced buttermilk is also enjoyed as a light summer beverage all over India. It might be known as chaas/chaanch, mattha, majjige or sambhaaram in different languages. While curry leaves are used in South India, the North Indian versions may use cilantro and mint leaves. But the idea is the same; a simple recipe that uses everyday ingredients to make a refreshing drink to beat the heat. You can think of masala chaas as the simpler, spicier, rustic cousin of the lassi.
It is so simple to make and an Indian pantry will easily have all the ingredients needed at any given time. In the olden days, masala chaas would be mixed and chilled in earthen pots, but you can just stash it in the fridge. I like to strain the buttermilk before serving but even that is not necessary. There is another variation of this beverage where a splash of soda water is added to make it fizzy and even more refreshing.
Here’s the simple recipe for Spiced Buttermilk Drink.
- Thick yogurt - 1 cup
- Water - 3 cups
- Green chilies - 1-2, sliced
- Ginger - 1 tbsp, grated or thinly julienned
- Curry leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped
- Roasted cumin seeds - 2 tsp, lightly crushed
- Rock salt - 1 tsp or to taste
- Whisk all the ingredients together in a large pitcher. Chill for an hour in the fridge to let the flavors infuse.
- Strain and serve in glasses for a refreshing drink. Store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days.
2. If you want to store this drink for a couple of days but do not want it too spicy, strain out the spices after infusing for a couple of hours and store the strained buttermilk drink in a closed bottle or pitcher.
3. If you do not have curry leaves, you can use fresh cilantro and/or mint leaves. It will taste slightly different but equally delicious.
4. This recipe is easily scaled up or down.
Enjoy this healthy spiced buttermilk drink and stay refreshed naturally all summer long.
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Do you have any off-beat ways to beat the heat? Do share your traditional beverage recipe ideas in the comments and do try this easy sambhaaram recipe.
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I am sharing this over at Fiesta Friday.
Beautiful pictures, Anjana. I’ve never had a drink like this before. Sounds refreshing for the summer. I have some curry plants now, so we’ll be trying your recipe. Thanks for sharing at FF!
thank you for sharing this recipe , my husband and I are looking forward to making this weekend .