Yoghurt drinks turn up all over the world, and once you know the base method, all of them take about five minutes. Lassi is India’s version, usually sweet and mango-forward here in the West, though the original is actually salted. Ayran is Turkey’s, savoury and simple. Doogh is Iran’s, sparkling and mint-scented. All three start from the same idea: blended yoghurt, thinned to a drink, then flavoured to suit the food it’s served with.
The Base
A lassi is essentially blended yoghurt thinned with water, milk, or ice, with a flavour added. The ratio is roughly two parts yoghurt to one part liquid. Full-fat yoghurt produces a richer result; low-fat works fine if you prefer lighter. The blending is important – it aerates the yoghurt and creates the characteristic frothy top. A high-speed blender for 60-90 seconds is ideal; a stick blender works; shaking in a jar with a lid produces a rougher result without the froth.
Lassi (India)
Mango Lassi
Blend: 500g full-fat yoghurt, 1 ripe mango (flesh only, roughly chopped), half a cup of whole milk, 2 tablespoons honey or sugar, a pinch of cardamom, and 6-8 ice cubes. Blend until completely smooth and frothy. The cardamom is subtle but characteristic – it’s what distinguishes mango lassi from a simple mango smoothie. Alphonso mango, if available, produces an incomparably better lassi than regular mangos. In mango season, it’s worth seeking out.
Salted Lassi
Blend: 500g full-fat yoghurt, 1 cup cold water, half a teaspoon of fine salt, half a teaspoon of roasted cumin (cumin seeds toasted in a dry pan and ground), and 6-8 ice cubes. Some versions add a pinch of kala namak (black salt) – it’s available from Indian grocery stores and has a distinctive sulfurous note that changes the character of the drink completely. Fresh mint or fresh coriander blended in is also traditional. This version pairs particularly well with spiced food or a hot meal.
Rose Lassi
Blend: 500g full-fat yoghurt, half a cup of whole milk, 2 tablespoons of rosewater, 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of dried rose petals (available at Middle Eastern and Indian grocery stores), and 6-8 ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Pour into tall glasses and top with a few dried rose petals. The colour is a delicate pale pink and the flavour is floral without being perfumed.
Ayran (Turkey)
Ayran is a three-ingredient drink – yoghurt, water, salt – that is one of the most popular beverages in Turkey, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Combine 200g full-fat plain yoghurt, 200ml cold water, and a generous pinch of salt in a blender. Blend for 60 seconds until frothy and uniformly smooth. Pour over ice and serve immediately. The froth on the surface is part of the drink – in Turkey, well-frothed ayran is considered better than flat ayran.
Sparkling water instead of still produces a lighter, more effervescent result. Cold water is essential – ayran made with warm water tastes flat. It cuts through fat and spice the same way a glass of milk does after something too hot to handle, since the casein protein in yoghurt binds to capsaicin and carries it away from the receptors that produce the burning sensation. It can be made up to 2 hours ahead and kept in the fridge; stir or shake before serving as it separates slightly.
Doogh (Iran)
Doogh is Persia’s answer to ayran, distinguished by two things: sparkling water rather than still, and a characteristic hit of dried mint. Blend 200g full-fat plain yoghurt with 200ml cold still water until completely smooth. Pour into a glass over ice and top up with 100ml of cold sparkling water, poured gently along the side of the glass to preserve the carbonation. Stir briefly and season with a generous pinch of salt and half a teaspoon of dried mint, crumbled between your fingers before adding to release the oils.
Two variations worth trying: rose and cardamom doogh (half a teaspoon rosewater plus a pinch of ground cardamom, more floral and traditionally served at celebrations), and cucumber doogh (a quarter cucumber blended in with the yoghurt and water, cooling and green, particularly good in very hot weather). Doogh is traditionally served alongside rice dishes, grilled kebabs, and the herb-heavy Persian stews like ghormeh sabzi.
Which One to Make
If you want something sweet and fruity, start with mango lassi. If you want something savoury alongside grilled meat or spiced food, ayran is the simplest and quickest. If you want something a little more distinctive with a herbal, sparkling character, doogh is worth the extra ingredient. All three keep for a couple of hours in the fridge but are best drunk freshly blended, while the froth is still holding.
