Chilled Cumin Chaas Drink

Chaas is one of those drinks that shows up everywhere in north India once the weather turns hot. Families make it from whatever curd is left in the fridge, and it has been a daily habit in many homes for generations. It is thinner than a lassi and sharper than plain yogurt, which is exactly why it feels so refreshing on a long afternoon.

The most useful thing I have learned about curd is that it does its best work when it is cold and freshly set. Whisk it smooth before you add the water, and use chilled water rather than warm, or the drink turns flat and a little sour too quickly. If your curd has gone very tangy, a splash more water and a generous pinch of black salt will hide the edge without hiding the flavour. Black salt, sanchal, smells faintly of sulphur when you open the jar, and that is normal. A little goes a long way, and it is the reason chaas tastes like chaas and not just salted yogurt.

The tempering at the end is the part people rush, and it should not be rushed. Wait until the cumin seeds really crackle in the hot oil before you add the asafoetida, then pour everything over the drink while it still sizzles. You will hear it hiss, and that sound is the whole point. Keep the pan close to the bowl so the sharp smell of the hing reaches you before the coriander does.

Leftover chaas keeps in the fridge for a day, though it thins as it sits. Give it a good whisk and add a little cold water before serving. If you have made more than you need, freeze spoonfuls of it in an ice cube tray and drop a cube into a glass of plain water on a hot day.

Chaas sits well alongside a bowl of something cool and gentle. A simple Steamed Colocasia Leaf and Curd Raita makes a satisfying partner for a lunch thali. For a snack, a bowl of Tangy Spiced Mixed Fruit Chaat works nicely, with the chaas cutting through the chaat spices. If you are cooking a larger meal, the Tangy Mixed Lentil Dal with Tadka gives you something warm to balance the cold glass.