Chaas Recipe (Mattha Recipe)

close up shot of masala chaas or chaas filled in a glass with a few cilantro sprigs

4.75 from 20 votes

Chaas is a traditional Indian buttermilk drink made with yogurt, water, herbs, spices and simple seasonings. Also called chaach or mattha, it is lightly spiced and refreshing. This recipe includes two variations – Masala Chaas and Pudina Chaas.

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Total Time10

Course: Beverages

Cuisine: North Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Difficulty Level: Easy

Servings:

Calories: 118kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

For Masala Chaas

1½ cups or 375 grams curd (Indian yogurt)
1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder (bhuna jeera powder), add as required
1 cup water (cold) or as needed
1 tablespoon mint leaves – chopped or coriander leaves (cilantro), optional
5 to 6 small ice cubes – optional
½ teaspoon black salt or regular salt, add as required
3 to 4 mint sprigs or coriander sprigs, for garnish

For Pudina Chaas (Mint Chaach)

1 cup curd
2 to 3 tablespoons mint leaves or 12 to 15 leaves (pudina patta) or 2 to 3 teaspoons dried mint
⅔ cup water (cold)
1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
black salt or edible, food grade rock salt, add as required

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making Masala Chaas

In a blender, add the curd, roasted cumin powder, mint leaves, water and salt.
Blend for 2 to 3 minutes, until the ingredients are combined and the curd has been mixed well. You should see a nice frothy foamy layer with a bit of butter fat separated from the blending.
Pour in glasses. Garnish with mint leaves or coriander leaves and serve immediately.
You can also place the the butter milk in the refrigerator to make it cold. Then serve later.

Making Pudina Chaas

Rinse the mint leaves first. Drain all the water and then chop them roughly or keep them whole.
In a blender take the curd, roasted ground cumin powder, salt, water and the mint leaves.
Blend for a few minutes until smooth and you see some butter fat layer on the buttermilk.
Serve Pudina Chaas in glasses.

Serving Suggestions

While serving, you can add a few ice cubes if you like.
Garnish with mint leaves or coriander leaves and serve cold.

Storage

You can also store the buttermilk in the refrigerator and serve later. Just be sure to use within one full day for the freshest taste.

Notes

Curd: Use fresh curd that is not overly sour for best taste.
Seasoning: You can skip black salt and use regular salt instead. If you don’t have roasted cumin powder, dry roast cumin seeds till fragrant and grind. You can also add hing, fennel powder, ginger or curry leaves.
Herbs: Fresh herbs are best, but optional. You can use dried mint instead. Use 1 teaspoon dried mint in place of 1 tablespoon fresh.
Consistency: Add more water to adjust the thickness as per your preference.
Garnish: Add a few mint or coriander leaves on top before serving.
Ice Cubes: You can add ice while blending or at the time of serving.
For Fasting: Use rock salt (sendha namak) if making during vrat like Navratri or Ekadashi.
Scaling: You can easily double or triple the recipe.
Note: Nutrition values are for the masala chaas version.

Nutrition