You're probably familiar with the mango lassi from the Indian restaurant. Delicious, but also packed with sugar and often a full meal in itself. However, a lassi can be made with all sorts of ingredients. In India, they often add spices like cardamom or ginger. Moreover, a lassi doesn't necessarily have to be sweet; you can easily make a savory version!
When we were in India visiting the farmers we work with, Iona's favorite drink was a salty lassi with ginger and cumin. In Ayurveda, the combination of yogurt and cumin is considered good for digestion. But when you drink it with an ice cube, it's also surprisingly refreshing and cooling on a hot summer day!
Lassi is generally made with yogurt, but you can also use buttermilk or kefir to make this drink. I made it myself with kefir, which is a bit lighter than yogurt or buttermilk. And I didn't add any salt; that way it's nice and fresh, but a small salty touch can make the drink even more interesting. In any case, the combination with cumin works surprisingly well.
