Cucumber Flavored Vegan Buttermilk | Chaas

Indian Buttermilk - Chaas

We Indians love this beverage, especially during the summers! The Indian name for buttermilk is Chaas.

Technically buttermilk is the liquid that is leftover when butter is churned out of cream or from sour yogurt. Chaas/ Chaach /Mattha keeps you hydrated and helps with digestion. 

Being a South Indian, we love our buttermilk! Our version is called the Neer Mor and it has cilantro, curry leaves, and green chilies that get blended into the yogurt mixture.

The serving is then garnished with a tempering of mustard seeds. It's delicious! There are many variations to the Indian Chaas but have you tried Indian Spiced Buttermilk Ice Pops yet?

It's a fun way to enjoy Chaas! Obviously, it's not vegan-friendly which is why I wanted to share a non-dairy substitute for buttermilk. 

How to make Vegan Buttermilk!

So yes, there is good news for those who don't do dairy for whatever reason! If you are wondering what is a vegan substitute for buttermilk, continue reading.

Making your own homemade vegan buttermilk is beyond simple. When using high-fat non-dairy milk like soy milk and cashew milk, boil the milk, cool to warm, add the yogurt starter or probiotics and mix it in.

Cover and let it sit for 8 hours in a warm place.

For thin non-dairy milk like almond milk, you will have to thicken it with a bit of starch and cashews blended in. Then boil, cool, and add a starter.

Important Note - Not all non-dairy milk will curdle when lemon juice is added. Like coconut milk will not curdle. 

Handy Tip - If you are looking for vegan buttermilk for baking purposes, add lemon juice to soy milk and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Once it begins to curdle and thicken, buttermilk is ready. This can be used in any baking recipe that calls for buttermilk. 

Cucumber Flavored Buttermilk

Like I told you earlier, I love buttermilk. I try and have at least one glass a day and that too after lunch. However, I have only made the dairy version so far.

This is why I was looking forward to trying the plant-based version. Since I love having spiced chaas, I decided to also spice this vegan version a bit. 

Having made non-alcoholic drinks like Jalapeno Cucumber Mint Lemonade and Cold Cucumber Soup Shots in the past, I now wanted to make Cucumber Chaas! As we all know, cucumbers are really good for us for various reasons.

• High in nutrients and antioxidants
• Promotes hydration and helps in weight loss
•  Are a refreshing and incredibly versatile addition to any diet

Some more recipes to make with Cucumbers

• Spicy Japanese Cucumber Salad (Video recipe)
• Cold Cucumber Soup Shots
• Indian Style Spiced Yogurt Sandwich | Dahi Sandwich
• Maharashtrian Koshimbir | Indian Veggie & Yogurt Salad

Ingredients to make this vegan buttermilk

Here are the few ingredients needed to make this delicious cucumber chaas.

How to make Cucumber Flavored Vegan Buttermilk

As you can see in the image above, we just need a few ingredients to make this flavorful drink. I have used buttermilk made from soy milk for this recipe. 

1. Add soymilk buttermilk to a blender and add lemon juice. 
2. Then add curry leaves, cumin powder, black salt, and chaat masala.
3. Add cilantro. Add ice cubes if you want now. 
4. Add chopped cucumber. Blend to make a juice consistency. 

Strain if needed. Serve chilled. 

Pro Tip - Serve this non-alcoholic drink for your house party on St.Patricks' Day! 

Pair this drink with Kovalam Mutter or Matki Usal.

Why Buttermilk is good for you

Drinking buttermilk is sometimes better than yogurt. Here's why:

• It's a non-alcoholic drink
• Digestion gets easier and faster. 
• It helps soothe an irritated stomach lining, especially after a spicy meal.
• It is vitamin dense and thereby, very healthy.
• It is a good source of calcium and can also be had by lactose-intolerant people, who have to skip the milk.

Recipe 📖