Kokum Beetroot Lasooni Chaas.

Kokum Beetroot Lasooni Chaas ...... A garlic flavoured Spicy Kokum and Beetroot Buttermilk ......... A real Coolant during summer ....

I love anything with spiced / flavoured curds (buttermilk). This combo of chaas / buttermilk is simply soooo yummy that one will die to drink more and more of it. It is a very healthy, refreshing and a perfect treat to beat the summer heat, Plus also a great drink to be had after lunch for good digestion. Nothing can beat a large chilled cool glass of buttermilk during summer heat. 

Chaas which is also know as buttermilk is traditionaly made by churning out butter from the curds or yogurt. It’s a traditional Indian drink offered during summer to guest or had on daily routine after lunch. Kokum Kadhi is a digestive Maharashtrian drink prepared by extracting juice out of both kokum and coconut separately. The two are then mixed, spiced with green chilly and crushed fresh ginger. I have already posted the making of kokum kadhi and many other items too. 

This is a bit different as I have used buttermilk as I prefer it to coconut milk. Coconut milk is a bit heavy in calories while fat-less / skimmed milk - buttermilk is almost zero. Adding to it is the unlimited health benefits it has which I will not got into details as I am sure all of you know. 

Preparing the kokum Beetroot Lasooni Chaas My Way : 

Soak ¼ cup of semi dried kokums in 2 cups of hot water and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Remove, cover and keep aside to cool to room temperature say for an hour or so. Squeeze out the juice well with hands and strain through a fine sieve. Now put the sieved kokum back in the vessel add 2 cups of water again and bring to boil. Repeat the procedure and remove second extraction of juice. Mix this one to the previously extracted juice and keep aside. 

Peel of the skin off 2-3 medium sized beetroot and cut them into small pieces. Put this in the pressure cooker with 2 cups of water and pressure cook to 2 whistles. Let the pressure drop on its own. Remove and strain the cooked beetroot water properly into a separate vessel. Do not discard the cooked beetroot pieces, you can use them in preparation of any other Bhaji or Curry. The cooked water is what I used in making of the chaas and made upkari / bhaji out of the cooked beetroot.

Add the strained kokum juice to the cooked beetroot water. Add 3-4 crushed green chillies and 12-15 crushed garlic along with skin and let soak all together for 4-5 hours. You can keep this in the fridge overnight too. Remove and strain the kokum-beetroot juice. Add salt to taste and one cup of thick curds made from skimmed milk or 2-3 cups of buttermilk. Churn / beat the mixture well. Add in more water if the chaas is too thick. Your Kokum Beetroot Lasooni Chaas is ready. Serve chilled garnished with some finely chopped coriander leaves.