Indian Culture

Lassi

Lassi is a yogurt drink from Punjab, sweet or salty.1,2,3 The sweet kind comes with sugar or mango, the salty one with salt and spices such as cumin.1

Also known as Mango Lassi, Sweet Lassi

Lassi is a creamy, frothy drink of yogurt and water that originated in Punjab.1,2 Most kinds are sweet or salted: sweet lassi with sugar or fruit such as mango, salted lassi with salt and spices, typically cumin or cardamom.1,3 Depending on the region it is also spiced with ginger, coriander or mint, and sweet lassi is sometimes flavoured with rose water.4 In northern India lassi is drunk above all in summer; traditionally it is served in a kulhar, a clay cup without a handle.1,4

What is lassi in English called?

In English it is simply called lassi, a word borrowed from Hindi and recorded since 1882. Dictionaries describe it as a yogurt drink that is either sweet or salted.3

What is a lassi made of?

Yogurt blended with water until creamy and frothy. Salted lassi adds salt and spices such as cumin or cardamom, sweet lassi adds sugar or fruit such as mango.1

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Sources

  1. Siciliano-Rosen, L. (2013). lassi. In Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  2. Tan, A. (2017). Get to Know These 7 Types of Indian Bread. MICHELIN Guide. Michelin.
  3. Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). lassi. In Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  4. Patel, A. (n.d.). Fermented Traditional Indian dairy products – Dahi, lassi, Shrikhand. In Technology of Milk and Milk Products. Retrieved October 6, 2026.

Cite this entry

MLA

“Lassi.” Indian Culture Glossary, Indian Culture, https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/lassi.

Chicago

Indian Culture Glossary, s.v. “Lassi,” https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/lassi.

APA

Indian Culture. (n.d.). Lassi. In Indian Culture glossary. https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/lassi