Chaas is thin, savory, spiced buttermilk — the everyday Indian summer cooler and the classic thing to drink after a heavy meal. It's the savory cousin of lassi: lighter, tangier, and seasoned with roasted cumin, black salt, and herbs rather than sweetened. Beyond being refreshing, it genuinely settles the stomach — the cumin and the probiotic yogurt base make it a traditional remedy for post-meal bloating and acidity. Serve it cold and well-whisked until frothy.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (slightly sour is ideal), cold
- 1.5 cups cold water
- 1/4 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, plus more to garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon black salt (kala namak)
- Salt, to taste
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
- 6 to 8 fresh mint leaves (optional)
- 1/2 inch ginger, grated (optional)
Instructions
Blend
- Whisk or blend the yogurt and water together until completely smooth and frothy — a blender or hand frother gives the best texture.
- Add the roasted cumin, black salt, regular salt, chilli, cilantro, mint, and ginger. Blend again briefly to combine.
Serve
- Taste and adjust — more black salt for depth, more water for a thinner drink.
- Pour over ice into glasses. Garnish with a pinch of roasted cumin and a few cilantro leaves. Serve cold.
Variations
- Plain salted chaas — skip the herbs, chilli, and ginger; just yogurt, water, roasted cumin, and black salt. Clean and simple.
- Spiced (masala) chaas — the full herbed version above; add a pinch of chaat masala for extra tang.
- Curry-leaf tempered — for a South Indian neer mor, pour a quick tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and ginger over the top.
Notes
- Thin, not thick — chaas is meant to be drinkable and light (roughly 1 part yogurt to 3 parts water), unlike the thicker, richer Lassi. Adjust water to taste.
- Digestive benefit — roasted cumin and the yogurt's probiotics make chaas a traditional post-meal settler for bloating and acidity. See the Acidity Cooler (Saunf-Dhania Water) and Bloating Tea for seed-based remedies.
- Black salt matters — kala namak gives chaas its characteristic savory, slightly sulfurous depth; regular salt alone tastes flat.
- Sour yogurt is fine — day-old, slightly tangy yogurt actually makes better chaas than fresh.
Added Oct 26, 2026 · Updated Oct 26, 2026