Buttermilk or chaas is one of the easiest drinks you can make at home, especially during summer. It takes barely five minutes, needs only a couple of ingredients, and helps cool the body down almost instantly. It's also known to help with digestion, which is why it's often served right after meals in Indian households. Despite being so simple, not everyone gets the proportions or method right the first time they try the buttermilk recipe at home. This blog covers the ingredients you'll need, the exact steps to make it, and a few popular variations worth trying.
Buttermilk Recipe Traditions During Indian Summers
Buttermilk has been part of Indian kitchens for a long time, mainly because it was one of the most practical ways to deal with the heat before refrigerators became common. It was traditionally made by churning curd early in the morning, and the liquid left over after separating the butter was used as the base for buttermilk. This process was usually done by hand using a wooden churner, though most households now use a blender instead.
Different regions developed their own version of the buttermilk recipe over time, using local spices and herbs. Even today, it remains a common part of daily meals, particularly during the hotter months when a light, cooling drink is needed after lunch.
Ingredients Used to Make Buttermilk
You don’t need too many ingredients for the chaas recipe. That is probably why this drink has survived so many generations. Here’s a list of all the ingredients you will need:
- Fresh curd or yoghurt
- Cold water
- Rock salt or regular table salt
- Roasted cumin powder
- A handful of fresh coriander leaves
- Green chillies, if you like a bit of a kick
- Ginger, grated fine
- Curry leaves
- Mustard seeds and a pinch of asafoetida for tempering
How to Make Buttermilk
If you are wondering how to make buttermilk, you should know it’s pretty simple. You can finish making it in minutes by following these steps:
- Pour fresh curd into a blender or a large mixing bowl
- Add cold water, roughly double the quantity of curd you've used
- Blend or whisk until it turns smooth and slightly frothy on top
- Season with salt, adjusting to how sharp you like it
- Stir in roasted cumin powder for that familiar earthy note
- Strain it if you'd rather skip any lumps
- Let it sit in the fridge for a while before serving
- Finish with a few coriander leaves right before you pour it out
Variations Including Spiced Chaas Recipe Options
What's interesting is how differently the buttermilk recipe turns out depending on which part of India you're in. Here are a few variations worth trying:
Gujarati Style Chaas
There's a gentle sweetness running through this one, balanced against the sourness of the curd. Ginger, green chillies and curry leaves go in without much restraint, and a quick tempering of mustard seeds and hing ties it all together.
South Indian Spiced Chaas
This version of the chaas recipe doesn't hold back on spice. Curry leaves, ginger and green chillies take charge here, and a touch of asafoetida adds a depth that lingers after the last sip.
Punjabi Lassi Style Buttermilk
Made thicker, with less water and sometimes a spoon of fresh cream stirred in, this one edges closer to a lassi. Roasted cumin still finds its way in, keeping it grounded in familiar territory.
Minted Buttermilk
Fresh mint blended right into the buttermilk recipe mix gives this a cooling edge that feels almost medicinal. It's the one people reach for when the heat feels particularly unbearable.
Serving and Storing Buttermilk
Want to enjoy the buttermilk recipe at its finest? Here are a few serving and storing tips to follow:
- Serve it as soon as it's made, if you can manage it
- Chill it properly before serving, especially in summer
- Keep leftovers in a glass container rather than plastic
- Try to finish it within a day of making it
- Give it a good stir before serving if the layers have separated
- Don't leave it sitting out at room temperature for too long
- Add garnishes only right before you serve, not while storing
Occasions Where Buttermilk is Commonly Enjoyed
The buttermilk recipe isn’t just reserved for special days, though it does show up at quite a few of them, too. Here are a few instances where you can enjoy this drink:
- After a heavy lunch, particularly one with a lot of rice
- During fasting periods, when the body needs something light yet filling
- At weddings, often served as a welcome drink to guests arriving in the heat
- After physical work or exercise, to help the body recover
- During family gatherings through the summer months
- As a home remedy, when the stomach feels a little off
Conclusion
There's a reason that the buttermilk recipe has never really gone out of style. It doesn't need to convince anyone of its worth. Families have relied on it for generations, tweaking it just enough to make it their own. Whether you like it plain and simple or loaded with spice, it remains one of those drinks that quietly does its job, glass after glass, summer after summer. Planning to make buttermilk at home in the UK? Check out the online collection at Gayatri Stores and order the ingredients that you need for quick delivery at your doorstep.
