Sambaram (South Indian Spiced Buttermilk)

Name: Sambaram (South Indian Spiced Buttermilk)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 500 gm Yogurt (fresh, preferably made with skimmed/low fat milk); 1/2 liter Water (Cold); 2 tsp Salt; 2 tsp Sugar; 1 tsp White Pepper Powder (1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder); 1 cup Coriander (chopped finely); 1/2 cup Mint Leaves (chopped finely); 1/2 cup Curry Leaves (chopped finely); 1 inch Ginger (1 tsp Ginger Paste); 1 Green Chillies (1 tsp Green Chili Paste)

Amrita Iyer

South Indian

About Sambaram (South Indian Spiced Buttermilk)

We love frozen delights in the summers. Ice creams, ice lollies, fruit juices and cool desserts we all love them. But sometimes do we consider the sugar content in these items? Sugar also accounts for the growing obesity in urban populations these days. Apart from that though ice creams and frozen desserts are frozen to be called cold or coolers they actually have heat promoting ingredients like full cream milk, eggs, preservatives and sugar.

Let us now turn back to the village life our ancestors lived back in the 1900's Summers came and they lived without air conditioners, refrigerators and in some cases even ceiling fans. Its not possible to live entirely like that but yes we can adjust our lifestyle in terms of certain sugar free and delicious beverages they used to have.

I am talking about my native place Kerala where for a long time people relied on traditional ways and means to survive. One natural cooler was and is Buttermilk. Now drinking bland buttermilk is a bore so they spiced it up deliciously to make one of the best coolers imaginable. So Sambaram is basically buttermilk with loads of natural ingredients and spices.

Sambaram contains all the leafy herbs like Coriander, Mint and Curry Leaves as a result of which it is a beautiful green in color. Traditionally the recipe calls for chopping up the herbs, coarsely grinding the spices and adding them to the buttermilk.

Lately this has been a little less preferred by people drinking this refreshing beverage and so as a result I added a twist to the recipe and made it completely smooth to taste. So the recipe follows and please serve chilled for the ultimate cooling of body and mind!

4.67 from 3 votes

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Recipe Time & More

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 minute min

Total Time15 minutes mins

Served AsLunch

Recipe TasteSalty Spicy

Calories - 101 kcal

Servings - 5

Ingredients

▢ 500 gm Yogurt fresh, preferably made with skimmed/low fat milk
▢ 1/2 liter Water Cold
▢ 2 tsp Salt
▢ 2 tsp Sugar
▢ 1 tsp White Pepper Powder 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder

For the herb chutney

▢ 1 cup Coriander chopped finely
▢ 1/2 cup Mint Leaves chopped finely
▢ 1/2 cup Curry Leaves chopped finely
▢ 1 inch Ginger 1 tsp Ginger Paste
▢ 1 Green Chillies 1 tsp Green Chili Paste

Instructions

For the Chutney

▢
Put all ingredients in a blender jar and add 1/4 cup of water. Blend to a fine chutney. Keep aside.

For the Sambaram

▢
In a big jug or bowl add the yogurt and water. Whisk till completely smooth and add the salt sugar, pepper powder and the prepared chutney.
▢
Whisk again till all ingredients are completely dissolved. Strain through a tea or soup strainer into a separate jug so as to separate all residues. Chill for 2-3 hours or overnight.

Serving the Sambaram

▢
Pour out the Sambaram into fancy earthenware cups or glasses and serve chilled.

Explore Recipes by Tags drinks and juices recipes milk recipes south indian recipes summer recipes

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4.67 from 3 votes

Recipe Nutrition

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Amrita Iyer

I am a passionate foodie who loves to cook, serve and love to see people relishing my creations. Since the time I was small I used to wonder about the 'how' of things in the kitchen.

Then when I finally ventured as an unprofessional kitchen helper for my late grand-mother (a par excellent cook in her own generation) I was fascinated by the amount of stuff you could do to a simple milk and rice to form a most yummy pudding.

Here I am sharing my recipes with a will to learn from some and educate others as well!

3 Comments

Neha Agarwal

August 7, 2023 / 5:14 pm Log in to Reply

Great recipe! I’m eager to try it.
ROHIT MULCHANDANI

February 22, 2021 / 5:50 pm Log in to Reply

This looks so good! Appreciate the share.
Preeti John Nawani

July 21, 2015 / 12:05 pm Log in to Reply

Such a flavorful dish! Can’t wait to taste it.