Varanasi diaries – Lassi trail

April first week is hot for varanasi. Daytime temperatures rise upto 40 degrees centigrade. Cold drinks businesses start doing well.
Thankfully, i saw people preferring our traditional lassi to sooth soaring temperatures.
Every shop has its own curd quality and churning process. There are lot of variations and additives which make their lassi unique. Moreover, the consistency or thickness changes from shop to shop. Some are thick enough to be eaten while others can be sipped.
While on our visit to Ramnagar fort, someone suggested having famous lassi of shivPrasad Lassi Bhandar.
The fellow was continuously making rows and rows of lassi covering up with a layer of brown rabri (reduced milk ). They reduce 100 litres of milk to 20 litres over slow cooking to get this brown, creamy, tasty , sweet rabri.

I suggested him to keep his work area clean.

His only fault is that he has chosen to keep his shop as basic as rural as it was decades ago.

Then there was another shop near Assi Ghat called Blue Lassi shop ,where he had a 4 page menu of all sorts of toppings and variations. He attributes his taste to the quality of his curd and using wooden stirrer to slowly churn the mixture. No wonder you have to wait for 10 mins while the fellow leisurely makes one for you.
We went along with his recommendation of dry fruit lassi which had dry fruits right upto the depth of the clay cup which is universally used in varanasi to serve lassi. A wide mouth clay cup tapering sharply towards bottom is even used to serve water. Use of plastic or foam or paper cups were not seen thankfully.

Traditional brass vessel and manual wooden stirrer

Dry fruit lassi – Almost eaten than sipped

We also tasted mango lassi again on a recommendation.
With so much variety available, why would anyone drink carbonated drinks. In Banaras Hindu University (BHU), as we were told, no aerated drink, maggi, junk food is allowed to be sold in the vast 1200 acre campus. You have a wide array of cold coffees and Lassis lined up.
With the glamour associated and hype created for cold sugary drinks, we have developed a thinking that our traditional coolers are non hygienic and unhealthy. But the situation is slowly changing now. Shops are understanding the need of maintaining cleanliness and hygiene.
Next time you feel the need to have a thirst quencher, please look for someone selling lassi. It is lot more healthy, is good for you, is our country’s traditional drink, helps business of local people.