This traditional Indian yogurt-based drink hails from the pre-refrigeration era when Punjabi farmers mixed their milk with sugar and curd, and kept the concoction in clay pots. Lassi is often flavored with a variety of fresh herbs, different spices, fruits, and floral essences.
It is typically mixed with ice and served as an accompaniment to hot and spicy dishes, as it provides refreshment for the palate and soothes the body, especially on hot summer days. Sweet lassi is called metha lassi and it often contains ginger, mint, rosewater, cardamom, and exotic fruits like mango.