Name: Mango kefir lassi
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 170 g ripe mango pieces; 360 ml plain milk kefir (Use chilled, unsweetened kefir.); 1 tbsp honey (Reduce or omit if the mango is sweet enough.); 1 pinch ground green cardamom (Optional.)

By Nik, founder of 東歐嚴選｜kefir.link and former chef · Updated 2 November 2026

Lassi is the yogurt drink of Punjab, poured cold all year and above all in the heat of summer. Mango lassi is its best-known fruit version: thick, golden and smooth enough to pour, with a scent of cardamom. Plain milk kefir stands in for the usual yogurt, and the sweetness of ripe mango balances kefir's creamy sourness.

Prep time5 min

Total time5 min

Makes2 servings

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A Punjabi drink for hot days and spicy meals

Lassi is believed to have started long ago in the Punjab region, although its early history is not well known. It is traditionally served in a clay cup, and it comes salted with black pepper and cumin, or sweet with cardamom, rosewater and saffron. In Punjab, a chilled glass is the classic partner to chickpea curry with fried bread, and many people drink lassi to cool down after a spicy lunch or dinner. Mango lassi in particular has travelled far and is a fixture on the menus of Indian restaurants abroad.

Ripe mango meets tart kefir

Kefir is creamy but can taste quite sour on its own, so the mango does more than add flavour. The riper the fruit, the more sweetness it brings to balance that sourness, and plain kefir keeps the two flavours from competing. Taiwan's Irwin mangoes, sweet and tender, suit it well. Canned mango pulp also works, but it tastes tarter because of added citric acid and is often sweetened already, so taste before adding honey. A good lassi is thick yet pourable: frozen mango makes it thicker, mango juice makes it much thinner, and very fibrous fruit is best blended on its own first.

Cardamom, saffron and other finishing touches

Cardamom is the classic spice, but it is optional, and some mango drinks skip it. For a richer aroma, try saffron with a little cardamom, or a pinch of nutmeg, and rose water or mint are other options. A pinch of cayenne gives a gentle heat for those who like it. Scatter sliced almonds, cashews or crushed pistachios on top, and if the lassi is very thick, eat it with a spoon.