Lassi is a traditional Indian beverage, made
by blending yogurt with water, salt, and spices until
frothy, that is enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment.
Traditional lassi is salty and sometimes flavored with
ground roasted cumin.
Sweet lassi is a more recent invention, flavored with
sugar, rosewater and/or lemon, mango, strawberry or other
fruit juice. Saffron lassis, which are particularly rich,
are a specialty of Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
Another popular variation on the Lassi is the Mango
Lassi, which is orange in color and mango flavored.
The Lassi-like Ayran is also popular on hot summer
days in Turkey, where it typically contains only water,
salt, yoghurt and sometimes lemon.
In areas of the Middle East including Iran and Lebanon,
a similar salty yogurt beverage, named doogh, is popular.
During 2002, commercial products resembling sweet lassi
began appearing on the U.S. market, with names like
"Drinking Yogurt" and "Yogurt Smoothie".
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