Juicy Peach "Lassi"
by Dylan Sabuco
Photo by sweet marshmallow/Shutterstock.com
prep time
5 minutes
cook time
makes
4-6 servings
Juicy Peach "Lassi"
A lassi is a traditional Indian yogurt-based drink encompassing a wide range of flavors. They can be made sweet, salty, fruity, or spiced, depending on your taste and mood! Our Juicy Peach "Lassi" happens to be sweet, fruity, and lightly spiced, too, thanks to a bit of fresh ginger. Give it a try—we think you'll find this lassi peachy-keen!
Happy & Healthy Cooking,
Chef Erin, Food-Geek-in-Chief
Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills
- blend :
to stir together two or more ingredients until just combined; blending is a gentler process than mixing.
- measure :
to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).
Equipment Checklist
- Blender (or pitcher + immersion blender)
- Cutting board + kid-safe knife
- Liquid measuring cup
- Dry measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
scale
1X
2X
3X
4X
5X
6X
7X
Ingredients
Juicy Peach "Lassi"
- 2 peaches (pitted) OR 2/3 C frozen sliced peaches
- 1 C plain whole-milk yogurt **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free plain yogurt)**
- 1 C water
- 1/3 C granulated sugar
- 1/2-inch piece ginger OR 1/4 tsp ground ginger
Food Allergen Substitutions
Juicy Peach "Lassi"
- Dairy: Substitute dairy-free/nut-free plain yogurt.
Instructions
Juicy Peach "Lassi"
1.
measure + pour
Start by chopping 2 peaches (pitted), or measuring 2/3 cup frozen sliced peaches, and placing them in the bottom of a blender or pitcher (if using an immersion blender). Then, pour in 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/2 inch piece of ginger (whole pieces are fine) or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger.
2.
blend + enjoy
Blend until extra smooth and creamy. This juicy Indian smoothie is the perfect way to wash down your Incredible Indian Chickpea "Korma" Stew (see recipe).
Photo by Elena Sherengovskaya/Shutterstock.com
Hi! I'm Peach!
"Did you know I'm related to almonds, apricots, cherries, and plums? We're all part of the Rose family! You may know my cousin, Nectarine, who has smooth skin compared to my fuzzy skin. We're both juicy and delicious summer fruits that are wonderful to eat whole or sliced and added to fruit salads and ice cream!
History & Etymology
- Archeological evidence points to the peach's domestication in China as early as 6000 BCE.
- In China, peaches are considered a symbol of good luck, protection, longevity, and friendship and are found in many Chinese paintings, poetry, and on porcelain as far back as 551 BCE.
- China is the biggest producer of peaches worldwide, and Italy is the second largest.
- Columbus brought several peach trees to America on his second and third voyages.
- Spanish monks established the first peach orchard in Florida in the mid-1500s.
- Georgia, also known as the Peach State, has many peach orchards, although California produces about 50 percent of all peaches in the USA.
- Georgia claims it makes the "world's largest peach cobbler" at the annual Georgia Peach Festival. It measures 11 feet by 5 feet and uses 75 gallons of Georgia peaches.
- The Guinness World Record for the largest fruit cobbler is a 2,251-pound peach cobbler made by Hampton Inn of Ruston, Louisiana, for the Louisiana Peach Festival in 2015. It used 819 gallons of peaches!
- The peach is the official state fruit of both Georgia and South Carolina.
- The word "peach" comes from late Middle English, from the Old French "pesche," from the medieval Latin "persica," from the Latin "persicum." These European derivations came from the belief that peaches originated in Persia (modern-day Iran). In fact, the scientific name for peach, "Prunus persica," means "Persian plum."
Anatomy
- The peach is a member of the Rosaceae family and a close relative of almonds.
- Peaches are stone fruit related to apricots, cherries, and plums. They have soft, fuzzy, pinkish-yellow skin, and their flesh can vary from almost white-yellow to almost red. Each peach has a pointed, furrowed, egg-shaped seed in the middle, which either comes away easily (freestone) or is difficult to remove (clingstone).
- A nectarine is a variety of peach that has smooth skin. Its skin is usually redder, and its flesh can be either white or yellow.
How to Pick, Buy, & Eat
- It is an ideal snack between meals—eating a peach can give you the feeling of being full, so you will eat less, which is great for losing weight. An average peach contains about 35 to 50 calories and an insignificant amount of fat.
- Peaches are best from June to the end of August.
- A ripe peach will smell sweet and have a slight give when pressed, but squeeze very gently since the fruit bruises easily. It should be dark yellow with no green and have a round shape.
- If a peach is not ripe when bought from the store, it will ripen at home if you leave it on a counter at room temperature. Refrigerate peaches to slow their ripening.
- Peaches are a great snack fruit to eat whole, but you can also add sliced or cubed fresh peaches to hot or cold cereal, fruit salads, cakes, pies, cobblers, and ice cream. You might even try cutting them in half and grilling them.
Nutrition
- Peaches are a moderate source of vitamin C, which helps your body heal and boosts immunity against disease. They also provide small quantities of vitamin E, niacin, potassium, and other vitamins and minerals.
- Potassium helps maintain proper fluid levels inside cells, which helps maintain blood pressure. It also aids proper muscle function.
- Yellow-fleshed peaches also supply some beta-carotene that converts to vitamin A in the body, which is good for eye health.
- The dietary fiber in peaches aids digestion, and antioxidants help to protect cells by preventing oxidation.
What is a Lassi?
Photo by Vladislav Noseek for Shutterstock
- A Lassi (LAH-see) is a traditional yogurt-based drink that originated in India. Yogurt is blended with seasonal fruit and sometimes cumin, cardamom, salt, or even pepper!
- Lassis are perfectly refreshing and help beat the heat of hot Indian summers.
Let's Learn About India!
Photo by Charu Chaturvedi on Unsplash
- India is a country in South Asia and is officially called the Republic of India. It is the second-most populous country in the world and has the largest population of any democratic nation.
- Hindi and English are official languages, and there are 447 native languages spoken in India.
- India's government includes a president, prime minister, and parliament. Twenty-eight states and eight union territories make up India's federal union.
- India's currency is the Indian "rupee." It is illegal for foreigners to take rupees out of India.
- Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal's construction in 1632 for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
- The anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birthday is celebrated on October 2. He is considered India's "Father of the Nation" and led the Indian people to independence from 89 years of British rule in 1947. Gandhi's peaceful protest movement inspired many people in other countries.
- India's national symbols are the lotus flower, the Bengal tiger, and the peacock.
- Some of the world's highest mountains are in India, including Kanchenjunga, the third tallest at 28,169 feet.
- The Bay of Bengal is a huge bay bordering the southeastern part of India and is home to the world's largest mangrove forest. Here, tigers swim in the same waters as dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, and saltwater crocodiles.
- The snow leopard, the Indian rhinoceros, the Bengal tiger, and the Asian elephant are all animals of India. Globally, it is the only country that has both lions and tigers.
- The most popular sport in India is cricket!
- It is hot in India, so people there often wear loose clothes. Traditional clothing differs by area in India. Women may wear saris, long pieces of colorful cotton or silk draped over and around the body like a dress. Men may wear a dhoti, made of material wrapped around the hips and pulled through the legs, somewhat resembling loose pants, although they aren't seen in cities much anymore. Photos of Gandhi show him wearing dhotis.
- Seventy percent of the world's spices come from India.
- Staple foods in India include lentils, rice, bread, and spices. People living on the coast eat more fish and seafood. In other regions, they eat chicken, beef, and game meats. Many people throughout India are vegetarians. Common fruits and vegetables are mangoes, apples, oranges, pineapples, bananas, onions, okra, potatoes, spinach, and carrots.
- Curries are popular dishes in India and are made with a variety of vegetables, fish, meat, and fruits, and spices.
- When people greet each other in India, as a sign of respect, they bow, placing their hands together before their chest or face, and say "Namaste," which translates to "I bow to the divine in you."
What's It Like to Be a Kid in India?
- Indian parents are encouraged to start their kids in preschool at 2½ to 3 years old. School is usually taught in a particular state's language, which could be Hindi, English, or another language.
- Kids often have their grandparents living with them in the family household.
- Along with cricket, tennis, badminton, and chess, kids may play traditional Indian games like kabaddi or kho-kho, both played by teams, or kancha, a marble game played individually or with others.
- Kids enjoy the Holi festival, which is a religious celebration that also heralds the arrival of spring. Celebrated in various ways throughout the country, most versions include the joyous spraying and throwing of colorful powders by festival participants at one another.
THYME for a Laugh
How do you make a peach into a vegetable?
You step on it and make it squash!
That's Berry Funny
Did you hear the joke about the peach?
It's pit-iful!
That's Berry Funny
What is the only food that you are allowed to play with?
Yo-Yo Gurt!
The Yolk's On You
Why does milk turn into yogurt when you take it to a museum?
Because it becomes cultured!
