Spiced buttermilk with cilantro flower
Summer has come early to San Francisco this year; sometimes it feels like it never left. With climate change looming, this is not as good news as it might seem. But let’s not worry our pretty little food-blogging heads about this just yet and cool off with this yogurt beverage.
Spiced buttermilk: Neeru majjige
This is another specialty from the southern state of Karnataka from my friend Rashmi. Just think — instead of reaching for a sugary soda you could cool down with a tall glass of spicy yogurty neeru majjige. Better to taste and way better for your body.
All the ingredients
Blend it
Strain it
Squeeze this stuff dry
Done – spiced buttermilk
Spiced Buttermilk (Neeru Majjige)
Ingredients:
- A cup of yogurt
- A cup to cup and a half water
- Quarter inch ginger
- Half a green chili
- Few sprigs cilantro
- Quarter teaspoon salt
Method:
Simpler than simple. Blend all the ingredients together. Strain it. Squeee–eeee-ze the green remains dry. The mixture is a pale green, the squeezing will drip delicious light green drops on it. Refrigerate for half hour if you like.
Garnish with a sprig of cilantro, or like I did, a cilantro flower from the garden.
The Odd Pantry 
Can I ask you, why do you call this “buttermilk” if it’s yoghurt? Is buttermilk something that you “culture”– ie, take a small bit of the end and add it to the beginning?
LikeLike
Annie,
Good question that I don’t know the answer to. In India, buttermilk and yogurt are rarely distinguished, except that if you mix in water with yogurt that is called ‘buttermilk’. I’ve never understood why this is so. Now I realize that the meaning of buttermilk is what is left behind after making butter. So where did we get that word from? Don’t know. Research subject.
One clue though — when I do buy actual ‘buttermilk’ at the store in America, labeled as such, it tastes suspiciously like yogurt that’s been watered down.
LikeLike
I think I may try this for breakfast–also, I love big cities precisely because there are always people from all walks of life, fortunate or not, but always with a story.
LikeLike
Thank you, I removed the vignettes about the city after feedback from my husband who said it didn’t quite fit with the recipe. Will write more about SF at other times….
LikeLike
I love spiced buttermilk! But I’ve never added chilli. I will try it your way 😉
LikeLike
Deena I have always made it the North Indian way, which doesn’t use chili. This was a revelation to me as well 😉
LikeLike
We make a very similar drink called ‘neer mor’ in Tamil Nadu, adding asafoetida powder to the above ingredients minus the green chilly. I love those, waiting for summer!
LikeLike
Would be fun to do a tour of India just tasting variations of this drink in different regions….if only!
LikeLike
Aneela, this is very interesting. Nothing I have ever seen before. I have to try it, I like all the flavors so imagine it will be delicious.
LikeLike
It was. I love cooling beverages but not the usual sugary ones. This is a great palate cleanser.
LikeLike
in Kerala we call it sambharam. very appetizing. Love it.
LikeLike
Interesting. Do you use mostly the same ingredients? Thanks for the info.
LikeLike
Yes same ingredients.
LikeLike
Yummy, yummy x
LikeLike