THE GOODNESS of buttermilk reveals itself every summer. A tendency to reach for the colas in the hot summer months is but natural, but the negative publicity associated with their effects on the body had me rethinking the wisdom of making carbonated beverages our default refreshers. Intriguingly, as food habits homogenise and the health-conscious reach for pro-biotic drinks to maintain the digestive balance, the humble buttermilk, which has been around for centuries in our homes, has long been ignored. There is so much goodness and wellness in our culinary traditions that often ?new? or ?fad? diet supplements or trends are at best convincing recyclers of the ancient wisdom of food.

Buttermilk has made its place in cultures around the world, irrespective of they being hot or cool climates. Buttermilk and its variants may be found in the Scandinavian countries, India and Pakistan. Here, at home, it is known as chaas or mattha and is drunk on its own or as an accompaniment with food, especially in south India. On a trip to a village in Alwar district last summer, it was fascinating to see that most homes had their own madhanis, or whippers, and a little after sunrise, the women of the homes would be out in the morning sun, whipping up milk to remove the butter and filtering out the liquid which remained. Not a drop was wasted. Without need for refrigeration, this drink served as a cooler for the family, especially those who went out to the fields to work. How far we had moved from this basic convenience, our taste buds seduced by the few seconds of taste that carbonated beverages provide.

Often thought of as a digestive, buttermilk offers multiple benefits. To mention a few, it aids in digestion, balances spicy cuisine and is a rich source of calcium without the fat. A study in the US revealed that its regular consumption assists in keeping cholesterol levels down so it is highly recommended by Ayurveda practitoners. Also, it relieves acidity and the incumbent discomfort that arises from the condition.

One needs to turn to Ayurveda to realise that buttermilk need not only be ingested for it to be helpful. Takara dhara, a variant of the shiro dhara treatment, employs the use of buttermilk. Instead of hot oil being poured on the forehead as in shiro dhara, in takra dhara, buttermilk is used. The term takra means buttermilk and dhara, as the name suggests, means pouring. The continuous flow of buttermilk on the centre of the forehead brings to the fore its cooling properties. As it works on the inside, it does on the outside: cooling the head and relieving one from mental stress. It is remarkably simplistic, but it works, providing a soothing effect known to be helpful to people who suffer from migraines.

But something so healthy cannot be tasty, right? Wrong. Even though, in some way, its health benefits and accessibility take away the sexiness of chaas and its retail packaging isn?t very uplifting too, here is the truth: chaas is very tasty and can be prepared in various ways.

A personal favourite is masala chaas and I requested Sunil Marwah, executive chef with DLF, to give me the recipe. He reaffirmed a lot of what is known about chaas and also said that the water-to-yogurt percentage in its preparation makes

it a vital option when it comes to fighting dehydration in the summer months.

Masala chaas

Ingredients

Half a glass of yogurt

One glass of water

A pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh,

roasted, crushed cumin

1/4 teaspoon chopped ginger

1/2 green chilli (optional)

A pinch of crushed black

pepper (optional)

Chopped coriander

for garnishing

Method

1. Churn the yogurt and water in a blender, or madhani.

2. Add salt (and some ice in case you want it to be cooler).

3. Pour in a glass and add the other ingredients.

4. Garnish with chopped coriander.

It is prepared in less than five minutes and can be consumed through the day. However, it is not recommended after sunset or to be had the next day. It should always be prepared fresh.

Advaita Kala is a writer, most recently of the film Kahaani. She is also a former hotelier having worked in restaurants in India and abroad