Chele and I are both fans of yogurt-based drinks. There are all sorts of takes on that idea, from smoothies to kefir. Our favorite, perhaps, is the lassi, an Indian-style spiced yogurt beverage. Wikipedia tells me that there is a tremendous range of traditional variations, ranging from salty versions, to sweet and fruit versions. There is apparently even one type, called bhang lassi, that is infused with cannabis. Fruity varieties are the most commonly encountered here in the US, with cardamom-spiced mango lassi being far and away the most popular.
Over the past several months, we’ve been having some fun experimenting with different fruit, floral, and spice combinations. And, being us, we’ve thrown some rather exotic ingredients into those experiments (violets and rambutan, anyone?). Our runaway favorite thus far, though, has been this sweet jackfruit lassi flavored with orange blossom water and galangal.
First off, you are going to need to track down some canned ripe jackfruit in syrup. These will be the big yellow, fruity arils that cover the seeds, NOT “young” or “green” jackfruit, which is normally packed in brine and is used as a vegetable. Check for it in the Asian aisle in large supermarkets, or better yet make a visit to your local Asian market. I have found it available for sale online at places like Amazon and Walmart, but for some reason it tends to be obnoxiously expensive – you will pay much, much less picking it up off the shelf. Fresh jackfruit should work instead (and might be easier to find), but since our recipe makes use of the syrup from the can, you will need to make some adjustments. You are on your own if you head that route, as Chele and I have not attempted it yet.
The other key ingredient is the yogurt, of course. Ideally, you should use Indian-style yogurt for making lassi (we use Gopi brand). It is a bit richer than your typical grocery store yogurt, but nowhere near as thick as something like Greek yogurt. At the end of the day, though, whatever yogurt you have available will do the trick. You can even try a non-dairy yogurt (like coconut yogurt), but keep in mind that these will change the overall flavor.
Once you have tracked down all of the ingredients, the actual recipe is a breeze: throw it in a blender, then pour and enjoy!
Jackfruit Lassi
Ingredients
- 1 8.11 oz can ripe jackfruit in syrup (do not use "young"/"green" jackfruit!)
- 1⅓ cup whole milk yogurt (preferably Indian-style)
- 1 Tbs orange blossom water
- ¼ tsp ground galangal
Instructions
- Drain canned jackfruit, reserving at least 2 Tbs syrup from the can.
- Place jackfruit, 2 Tbs reserved syrup, yogurt, orange blossom water, and galangal in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into serving glasses and serve.
- Optional: add an additional 1 Tbs of the jackfruit syrup at the bottom of each serving glass before pouring in the lassi.
Notes
- Be sure to use canned ripe jackfruit for this recipe, and not “young” or “green” jackfruit. Look for it in Asian and Indian markets, or in supermarkets that stock a wide variety of Asian products. Here in the Chicago area, we buy ours at Tony’s Fresh Market and H Mart.
- This should work with ripe fresh jackfruit, but we have not tried it. It will be easier to find, but will require much more work since you will need to separate the sweet, yellow arils from the rind and seeds.
- Galangal is an aromatic root that is related to ginger. It is most closely associated with Thai cuisine, where jackfruit is a staple. Ground, powdered galangal is available at Asian markets or through specialty spice dealers like Penzeys. Fresh galangal is also available, but we have not attempted using it in this recipe.
- Indian-style yogurt is thicker than typical Western yogurt, but not as thick as Greek-style yogurt. If you can not find it, your favorite plain yogurt should work fine here.
- Orange blossom water is most commonly used in Middle Eastern or Mediterranean cuisine. Try looking for it at markets dedicated to serving these cultures, or in the “world foods” aisle of larger supermarkets. It should also be readily available online.
