Maharashtrian Mattha spicy digestive buttermilk
Maharashtrian mattha spicy buttermilk drink is part of every traditional meal. Mattha is served at the end of meal.
Mattha helps digestion. It is a fitting end to a festival meal or a wedding feast where you may have overindulged, given the wonderful variety of dishes served.
It works as a digestive as it contains ginger, cumin seed powder, fresh coriander leaves. It has lot of health benefits.
Mattha, Indian digestive yogurt drink
Mattha is made like salty lassi but it is not frothy and thick like lassi. It is a diluted, watery drink. It is also known as Neer Majjige, Mor, Taak, buttermilk, Chaas etc.
Mattha is also served as a cooling drink in the hot summer months. It can be served in the hot afternoon or along with the lunch.
During summer, make a jugful of mattha and keep it in the fridge. You and your family members can have cooling drink ready whenever you feel like it.
Ingredients for Mattha
Yogurt/Dahi/Curd : This is the main ingredient. The fresher the better
Water : We need water to dilute the yogurt. Make it as thick or thin as you like. I like it thin. It is made according to your personal choice.
Herbs: coriander(Dhaniya/cilantro) leaves and/or mint/pudina are added.
Salt: This is a must. you may use plain salt, himalayan salt as well as black salt. Your choice.
Spices: Roasted Cumin(jeera) seed powder, Ginger(fresh or dry powder), asafoetida(hing) is added. You may also add some chaat masala. These all add to the digestive power of Mattha.
Ice: You may add ice while serving or make mattha in advance and keep ready mattha in the fridge. whichever is convenient for you.
Tempering: Tempering is made with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, curry leaves green or red dry chilies etc. Tempering is optional.
The preparation of mattha is simple and easy. It is quick to make. You mainly need some plain yogurt / curd. You may also temper it with Phodni or Tadka.
You may use an electric blender, a hand held blender or a whisk or a wooden or metal mathni (traditional Indian curd churner) to make mattha.
The variations you can make to mattha are given in the notes below.
How to make Maharashtrian Mattha spicy buttermilk
Ingredients for basic maharastrian mattha recipe
- 1 cup plain curd / yogurt
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp chopped dhania (cilantro) leaves
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, minced or grated or crushed
- Salt to taste
Optional ingredients for mattha – Maharashtrian buttermilk
- 4-5 fresh pudina (mint) leaves or
- 1/2 tsp crushed dry mint leaves
- You may use saindav lavan/ kala namak (rock salt or black salt) instead of common salt – as required
- Green chili 1/4 – chopped or in paste form – according to taste
- Garlic – 2-3 pods. Garlic is generally not added for a festive or a wedding meal.
Instructions to make mattha – buttermilk drink
- Chop or crush the pudina (mint) leaves, chili if using.
- in a blender add curd, salt and blend for a few seconds.
- Add ginger paste, cumin seed powder, crushed/ chopped coriander, mint, chili.
- Blend some more.
- If you are adding tadka, make it according to the instructions below and add to the blended mattha.
Phodni/tadka adds to the flavor and taste of mattha.
Making tadka – tempering – phodni
Ingredients for phodni- tempering
- Ghee or vegetable oil – 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds (rai, mohari)- 1/4 tsp
- Cumin seeds (jeera) – 1/4 tsp
- Hing (asafoetida) – a pinch
- Curry leaves – 4-5
- Chopped Garlic(optional) – 2-3 pods
Cool completely and add to the mattha.
Maharashtrian mattha is ready.
Serve mattha with some ice cubes or you can chill the mattha in the fridge for sometime and then serve.
Notes/ tips for variations and serving
- Use the optional ingredients to make variations in mattha taste and flavor.
- You may use pudina (mint), green or red chili, garlic.
- You may use rock salt, chaat masala instead of or along with table salt.
- Tempering is optional too but it does add to the taste as well as flavor.
- Add a few grains of crushed black pepper seeds.
You may visit Sweet lassi recipe or Salty lassi recipe.
