Lassi is appearing all over now as an alternative cooling drink to milkshakes on many trend setting café menu's across South Wales, but its a cooling yoghurt based drink that has been enjoyed by those from South Asian communities, especially around the fasting Ramadan season.

Lassi - for the un-initiated is a south Asian sweet, sour and salty yogurt based drink. I would sort of describe it as an alternative to milkshake. It is traditionally made up of a blend of home-made natural yoghurt, water or milk and seasoning. It used to be made by hand with a wooden whisk/stirrer/frother, these days it takes only moments in a food blender/processor.

Fresh Strawberry and Black Pepper Lassi

Serves 2

Ingredients

Handful of fresh, hulled strawberries

160g homemade yoghurt or natural live yoghurt (substitute with low fat Greek Yoghurt)

180ml milk

Sugar, honey or maple syrup to taste

Twist of fresh black pepper (do not use the powder form here)

Optional: ice cubes

Method

Blend all the ingredients (except for the black pepper and ice cubes) in a food blender until smooth. Taste, tweak and adjust to suit your taste buds, blend again if necessary. Pour over optional ice-cubes for a cooler drink and add a twist of black pepper, stir well before drinking.