Mattha - Indian-Spiced Yogurt Drink

breakfastsweet breakfastssmoothiesquick recipeseasy recipescold drinks

Sep 15

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**Mattha** or **Chaas** is an Indian-spiced yogurt drink that’s commonly prepared in the summer to beat the heat! The base recipe only requires three ingredients, but the customization options are endless!

Looking for a super simple drink that’s sweet and spicy and will cool you down on a hot summer day? Mattha is a new favourite of mine, and I’m definitely going to enjoy it year-round!

This spiced yogurt drink can be prepared in minutes with lots of different flavour varieties! I’ll give you all the ideas later on in this post, so be sure to check it out!

Mattha is adored by Indians when it’s blazing hot outside. It was a favourite of mine but I hadn’t had it in so many years. I really thank my mom for reintroducing mattha to me, and I’m excited to share this unique cold drink recipe while it’s still hot and sunny here in Canada!

To follow along with your new favourite drink for summer, be sure to watch the video at the bottom of this post. It would mean a lot to me if you would subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already, and be sure to press the bell button to be notified when all of my new recipes are live! Let’s get started!

What is mattha?

Mattha, also known as Chaas or Taak, is a staple Indian cold drink that I actually only really learned about now with my mother living here in Canada with me for a couple of months! I used to drink this to beat the crazy New Delhi heatwaves growing up, but when I left my hometown and arrived to Canada, I completely forgot about this beverage. I love it when I’m reintroduced to things I’ve forgotten about! If you want to create a nostalgic experience for someone or try out a new summer tradition, then be sure to put your heart in a glass as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! You can get started on your cooking journey for free by signing up to my email newsletter, plus you’ll receive all of my new recipes straight to your inbox!

Why you’ll Love Mattha!

THREE ingredient recipe! (not including water!)
Fast to make
Refreshing and hydrating
Customizable
Nutritious
Kid-friendly

do I Need A Blender to Make Mattha?

Nope, a blender is not necessary to make the drink itself! You can easily mix everything together in a large bowl or in your serving glass! You could use a blender if you want to blend ice with the drink, but as a personal preference I don’t. However, we will use a blender in order to grind up the freshly roasted cumin seeds.

Is Mattha healthy?

Yes it is! Yogurt is excellent for your digestive system because of its probiotics, and it’s full of calcium for strong bones and teeth.

Can You Drink Mattha Every Day?

Why not! You’ll save some time if you make a large batch of the freshly ground cumin, but even if you roast and grind the cumin seeds fresh every time, this process isn’t too long!

While this drink is typically enjoyed in the summer to cool you down, I always say that there’s no specific time of the year to enjoy your favourite food or drink! You’re probably inside while you’re drinking this (though I do recommend sitting outdoors in the summer with your mattha!), so even if you’re having mattha in the winter, you can always be cozy inside!

Can I Use buttermilk?

Sure thing! Buttermilk in India is referred to the same thing as mattha. Basically, mixing yogurt with water here will create the buttermilk. You won’t need to add extra water unless you really want to if you’re using buttermilk instead of yogurt. Got buttermilk instead of yogurt? Then by all means go for it!

Is Mattha the Same as Lassi?

While there are definitely. Mattha is made with yogurt and water, and it is always spiced. Furthermore, the texture of mattha is thin and runny. On the other hand, a lassi is like a smoothie, thick and viscous. Lassis can be either sweet or spiced. As you see in the picture below, on the left is a Plain Lassi prepared for my wife because mattha just isn’t for her tastebuds!

Tools Needed to Make Mattha

Ingredients for Indian-Spiced Yogurt Drink

This ingredient list is so short and simple that you can prepare Mattha any time! For individual ingredient quantities and to save the recipe for later, scroll to the bottom of this post or press the “Jump to Recipe” button for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card. You can also scale the recipe based on how many glasses you want to make - all ingredient quantities are automatically adjusted!

Plain yogurt: I recommend you use full fat plain yogurt. My favourite yogurt is the Balkan yogurt by Astro, and I get it full fat. This has an even better flavour than Indian yogurt, and I use this yogurt in everything - from marinades to dips, such as my Cucumber Raita or Mint Cilantro Chutney. As I describe in my Make Cooking Fun! free guide to get creative and exploring your potential in the kitchen, if you’ve got vanilla yogurt or Greek yogurt or some other type of yogurt, these should all work fine! Use whatever yogurt you have on hand (or buttermilk if you have it!) and experiment to see what gives the tastiest mattha for you.
Cumin seeds: They’ll be roasted and freshly ground to give an incredible aroma and flavour to the mattha.
Salt: Always to taste.
Water: As needed to give you the texture of mattha you’d like.

How to Make Mattha

Roast cumin seeds on a pan on low heat. Keep stirring until they turn brown in colour.

Allow the roasted cumin seeds to completely down. When cooled down, grind them up into a powder. Store and keep any extra powder in a cool, dry place.

If making a large batch of mattha, add the yogurt into a mixing bowl. Add salt and the cumin powder and whisk well.

Add water as desired to thin out the drink.

Serving Suggestion

Distribute the mattha in serving glasses or in a tall glass jar or bottle. Garnish with a sprinkle of freshly ground cumin and fresh herbs if desired! Enjoy!

Tips for A Satisfying Mattha

Keep stirring the cumin seeds until they are roasted evenly and brown.
Roasting the cumin seeds will provide a more intense cumin flavour due to natural release of oils in the spice. You can use ice cold water or room temperature water, depending on what temperature you want the drink.
For a small amount of roasted cumin seeds, you can roast them over a tava pan (what is used to make flatbreads).
Store any extra roasted cumin seeds in a glass spice jar.
Make your own yogurt if you’re very ambitious! This would be done with boiled milk and yogurt.
Add more or less water depending on how thick you want the mattha.
If you have roasted cumin powder on hand, you can use this to save some steps and time.
Add ice cubes for an even colder beverage.
If you’re making a single glass, you can whisk the ingredients together directly in your serving glass. However, if making a big batch, it’ll be easier to mix in a mixing bowl and then distribute the drink evenly.
Experiment with different spice and flavour combinations in addition to different textures and temperatures to customize the mattha specifically for you!

Variations of Mattha

Masala: Add some other spices to the yogurt, such as black salt or black pepper. You can also add in fresh grated ginger and/or green chilies.
Boondi: You can top your mattha with boondi, which are small besan (chickpea flour) balls.
Herb: Add in fresh herbs like mint or cilantro.

Can I make Mattha ahead of time?

Sure! It’s really easy to double or triple the recipe and have a big batch on hand. Plus, if you allow it to chill in the fridge, the flavours will have time to absorb in the yogurt and your drink will be very nice and cold!

While the yogurt will likely split from the water, all you’ll need to do to refresh it is to give it a nice shake. Store your mattha in an airtight container or in a mason jar. I wouldn’t recommend keeping mattha in the fridge for more than 3 days due to the splitting.

Other Refreshing Summer Drinks!

WATCH HOW TO Make Mattha Here:

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!

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cold drinks

Indian

Yield: 2

Author: Anadi

Refreshing Summer Indian Drinks - Mattha & Sweet Lassi (feat. Mom!)https://youtu.be/Ysg3VqtIzxwMattha and lassi are both Indian yogurt-based drinks requiring few ingredients! Mattha is the savoury drink made with roasted cumin seeds, and this simple sweet lassi recipe is a base for many other lassis! Which Indian summer drink will you pick?2023-09-15

Mattha - Indian-Spiced Yogurt Drink

Mattha or Chaas is an Indian-spiced yogurt drink that’s commonly prepared in the summer to beat the heat! The base recipe only requires three ingredients, but the customization options are endless!

Prep time: 20 MinTotal time: 20 Min

Cook ModePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

3 Tbsp cumin seeds
4 Tbsp yogurt
salt to taste
water, as needed

Instructions

Roast cumin seeds on a pan on low heat. Keep stirring until they turn brown in colour.
Allow the roasted cumin seeds to completely down. When cooled down, grind them up into a powder. Store and keep any extra powder in a cool, dry place.
If making a large batch of mattha, add the yogurt into a mixing bowl. Add salt and the cumin powder and whisk well.
Add water as desired to thin out the drink.
Distribute the mattha in serving glasses or in a tall glass jar or bottle. Garnish with a sprinkle of freshly ground cumin and fresh herbs if desired! Enjoy!