How safe is Lassi ?

Nick-H · Aug 29th, 2006, 14:43

Do you develop Immunity?

Living here, yes. Travelling... well, different cities, different bugs! Maybe even different streets, different bugs.

You loose immunity too. I've told this story so many times I ought to keep a text file and cut&paste it!...

My London-based Indian music teacher and his wife returned after an absence of two years to their own Chennai house and thought nothing of eating and drinking just as they had the last time they had been there. Next day they were both groaning in hospital; the docs said, 'nothing serious, you've just lost the immunity to the bugs in your house water...'

My 70-yr old Tamil neighbour spent some hours sitting in his toilet yesterday, and at the end of the day looked a mere shadow of his usual bright, energetic self. It is not just the visitors that get sick sometimes! Even Rangss gets sick, it seems!

I use local water for cooking. Even for tea, which is certainly boiled, but not for nearly long enough to purify. I would never drink it from the tap, but I don't worry about the amount left eg after washing up.

For me, and for many native locals here, drinking water = bottled water or having a purifying unit in the kitchen. Staying in the same place means buying 20ltr cans.

As has been commented in another thread: the corporation water may leave the plant fit to drink, but, after passing through leeky pipes at low pressure, that cannot be at all guaranteed by the time it reaches your house.

sabby80 · Aug 29th, 2006, 15:39

There are many restaurants like the Haldirams & the Bikanervalas & a whole bunch more!! - at least in big cities that serve sanitised lassis in styrofoam cups!! that taste as good or even better than their street cousins!! but then again, they can never never match the experience of having a lassi served in an earthen cup on a hot summer day on the bustling streets!

sabby80 · Aug 29th, 2006, 15:52

someone please try making lassi with this incredibly popular milk!!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B00032G1S0/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/002-6691374-2672803?redirect=true&ie=UTF8& customer-reviews.sort_by=-SubmissionDate&n=3370831

Nick-H · Aug 29th, 2006, 16:05

...$3.99 a gallon.

Milk here costs Rs16 a litre!

snowcrab · Aug 29th, 2006, 16:08

One of the things I like about IM are these incredibly bizzar links.Wheeeeeooo!

sabby80 · Aug 29th, 2006, 16:45

now! now! this aint no ordinary milk!!! its sucked out fresh from the udders of fat cows in Tuscany & transported at the speed of light, thru an intricate network of pipelines under the great seas & packed off in those beautiful white cans!! at less than 1$ a litre its a steal, isnt it?

sabby80 · Aug 29th, 2006, 17:17

damn!!! shoddy math! its actually a little over a $ a litre - gotta switch to Tuscan whole milk soon!!

Marte · Sep 3rd, 2006, 12:37

Anyone else got any good tips for top lassis?[/quote]

Rishikash! A lassi so thick you could almost eat it with a fork…. The street food is also great. YUMMM! I was sure that I was going to be miserably sick afterwards but temptation was very hard to overcome. Surprisingly I was fine . My immune system must be stronger, I have been here for over a year. I don’t know if I would have taken that Lassi when I first arrived and if I had most probably I would have been sick. You can always get Lassis at good hotels. Slightly more expensive but also safer for newcomers. Enjoy India, it is fascinating!

capt_mahajan · Sep 3rd, 2006, 13:23

we were always told as kids not to be careful where we had milk products outside the house. i think its because of the water content.

and ice, well, there is a cheaper variety available in slabs throughout india which is used for industrial/non consumption uses. i suspect a lot of this finds its way to roadside food vendors.

overall, i would avoid ice but not lassi at roadside places. at supposedly cleaner places, i eat everything.

rangss · Sep 3rd, 2006, 18:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by edsita

Dear vincster,

I believe in the "Rangass" method, and though I love them too, I skip them in India

And yes, Yogagal, most of the time they have added water to them.

my a$$? Love it?

Skip it?

Add water to it?

zephyr12 · Nov 27th, 2006, 08:05

This might be a naive question, but as I don't know how lassi is made, I wanted to ask if anyone has any precautions/warnings about trying lassi while in India?

I know that it's a cold drink (like a slush of sorts, presumably made with some ice) and as a rule, ice and water seem to be a no go, so I'm just wondering if anyone has tried it while there, or has any advice on that front. From all the descriptions I've read, it sounds delish... so I'd like to give it a go...

Nick-H · Nov 27th, 2006, 09:23

It is, simply, yoghurt turned to liquid in a liquidiser. Sugar is added for sweet lassi, or salt for plain lassi, or whatever fruit for fruit lassi.

The yoghurt (called curd here) was probably home-made, but the milk has to be boiled to make it, so I don't think it is a risk.

There should be no water added unless the curd is very thick. Best to request no ice. I would sasythat the ice is the only real risk.

Many of us think that the 'good' bacteria in curd actually help to keep your stomach healthy and that it is a positive thing to take daily.

gautam · Nov 27th, 2006, 09:43

Salty lassi is very good for stomach. Can be had with lunch.. Sweet lassi can be had when the weather is hot.Can be had in morning/evening.Thats how i like it.

jyotirmoy · Nov 27th, 2006, 12:33

Some water is invariably added. As Nick said the ice is the biggest risk so avoid ice in Lassis as well as fruit juices.

hawaiiyogagrl · Nov 27th, 2006, 12:37

My totally non-medical vote. Don't worry and just enjoy a lassi!

Aug 29th, 2006, 14:43	#91
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,692	Do you develop Immunity? Living here, yes. Travelling... well, different cities, different bugs! Maybe even different streets, different bugs. You loose immunity too. I've told this story so many times I ought to keep a text file and cut&paste it!... My London-based Indian music teacher and his wife returned after an absence of two years to their own Chennai house and thought nothing of eating and drinking just as they had the last time they had been there. Next day they were both groaning in hospital; the docs said, 'nothing serious, you've just lost the immunity to the bugs in your house water...' My 70-yr old Tamil neighbour spent some hours sitting in his toilet yesterday, and at the end of the day looked a mere shadow of his usual bright, energetic self. It is not just the visitors that get sick sometimes! Even Rangss gets sick, it seems! I use local water for cooking. Even for tea, which is certainly boiled, but not for nearly long enough to purify. I would never drink it from the tap, but I don't worry about the amount left eg after washing up. For me, and for many native locals here, drinking water = bottled water or having a purifying unit in the kitchen. Staying in the same place means buying 20ltr cans. As has been commented in another thread: the corporation water may leave the plant fit to drink, but, after passing through leeky pipes at low pressure, that cannot be at all guaranteed by the time it reaches your house. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Nov 27th, 2006, 08:05	#101
zephyr12 Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Montreal Posts: 6	Lassi and tummy issues... This might be a naive question, but as I don't know how lassi is made, I wanted to ask if anyone has any precautions/warnings about trying lassi while in India? I know that it's a cold drink (like a slush of sorts, presumably made with some ice) and as a rule, ice and water seem to be a no go, so I'm just wondering if anyone has tried it while there, or has any advice on that front. From all the descriptions I've read, it sounds delish... so I'd like to give it a go...

Nov 27th, 2006, 09:43	#103
gautam Super Mode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Chandigarh - Blore NON-STOP Posts: 708	Salty lassi is very good for stomach. Can be had with lunch.. Sweet lassi can be had when the weather is hot.Can be had in morning/evening.Thats how i like it. __________________ "Your thoughts could be your prison" My pics on flickr Kerela backwaters - by beach

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Aug 29th, 2006, 15:39	#92
sabby80 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139	There are many restaurants like the Haldirams & the Bikanervalas & a whole bunch more!! - at least in big cities that serve sanitised lassis in styrofoam cups!! that taste as good or even better than their street cousins!! but then again, they can never never match the experience of having a lassi served in an earthen cup on a hot summer day on the bustling streets!

Aug 29th, 2006, 15:52	#93
sabby80 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139	someone please try making lassi with this incredibly popular milk!! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B00032G1S0/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/002-6691374-2672803?redirect=true&ie=UTF8& customer-reviews.sort_by=-SubmissionDate&n=3370831

Aug 29th, 2006, 16:05	#94
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,692	...$3.99 a gallon. Milk here costs Rs16 a litre!

Aug 29th, 2006, 16:08	#95
snowcrab Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alberta, Can Posts: 1,053	One of the things I like about IM are these incredibly bizzar links.Wheeeeeooo!

Aug 29th, 2006, 16:45	#96
sabby80 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139	now! now! this aint no ordinary milk!!! its sucked out fresh from the udders of fat cows in Tuscany & transported at the speed of light, thru an intricate network of pipelines under the great seas & packed off in those beautiful white cans!! at less than 1$ a litre its a steal, isnt it?

Aug 29th, 2006, 17:17	#97
sabby80 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 139	damn!!! shoddy math! its actually a little over a $ a litre - gotta switch to Tuscan whole milk soon!!

Sep 3rd, 2006, 12:37	#98
Marte Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: New Delhi Posts: 55	Anyone else got any good tips for top lassis?[/quote] Rishikash! A lassi so thick you could almost eat it with a fork…. The street food is also great. YUMMM! I was sure that I was going to be miserably sick afterwards but temptation was very hard to overcome. Surprisingly I was fine . My immune system must be stronger, I have been here for over a year. I don’t know if I would have taken that Lassi when I first arrived and if I had most probably I would have been sick. You can always get Lassis at good hotels. Slightly more expensive but also safer for newcomers. Enjoy India, it is fascinating!

Sep 3rd, 2006, 13:23	#99
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,509	we were always told as kids not to be careful where we had milk products outside the house. i think its because of the water content. and ice, well, there is a cheaper variety available in slabs throughout india which is used for industrial/non consumption uses. i suspect a lot of this finds its way to roadside food vendors. overall, i would avoid ice but not lassi at roadside places. at supposedly cleaner places, i eat everything.

Nov 27th, 2006, 09:23	#102
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,692	It is, simply, yoghurt turned to liquid in a liquidiser. Sugar is added for sweet lassi, or salt for plain lassi, or whatever fruit for fruit lassi. The yoghurt (called curd here) was probably home-made, but the milk has to be boiled to make it, so I don't think it is a risk. There should be no water added unless the curd is very thick. Best to request no ice. I would sasythat the ice is the only real risk. Many of us think that the 'good' bacteria in curd actually help to keep your stomach healthy and that it is a positive thing to take daily.

Nov 27th, 2006, 12:33	#104
jyotirmoy Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 4,659	Some water is invariably added. As Nick said the ice is the biggest risk so avoid ice in Lassis as well as fruit juices.

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Nov 27th, 2006, 12:37	#105
hawaiiyogagrl Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 238	My totally non-medical vote. Don't worry and just enjoy a lassi!