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    Home » Recipes » Beverages

    Published: May 4, 2020 · Modified: May 8, 2023 by Usha Rao

    Menthi Majjiga ~ Fenugreek Flavored Buttermilk

    Jump to Recipe

    Menthi Majjiga is fenugreek flavored buttermilk, a refreshing summer drink in South India. 

    Two brown colored ceramic cups filled with menthi majjiga.

    Summer Coolant

    Buttermilk is a great summer cooler. Diluted buttermilk cools and hydrates the body. Since ancient times, it is a popular summer drink. In North India it is called chaas. To make it interesting, there are many flavors of chaas and majjiga. One such flavor is menthi majjiga. Other buttermilk/yogurt based summer coolants are daddojannam and dahi vada.

    What is Menthi Majjiga?

    In Telugu, a South Indian dialect, majjiga is buttermilk and menthi is fenugreek.  Menthi majjiga literally means fenugreek buttermilk. In Hindi it is methi chaas. 

    To prepare, flavor buttermilk with cumin powder and salt. Then temper it with fenugreek, ajwain (carom), mustard seeds, green chilies and curry leaves. This is a very refreshing summer drink as both buttermilk and fenugreek are body coolants.

    Menthi majjiga is also a very popular side dish served with rice.  Side dish version is thick in consistency, unlike the beverage which has a thin consistency.  There are many versions of majjiga side dishes and one of them is a North Indian kadhi. Punjabi kadhi is one the popular kadhi recipes.

    Ingredients for flavored buttermilk

    Yogurt/buttermilk, fenugreek seeds, cumin are the basic ingredients.  Green chilies, cilantro and curry leaves are optional although these enhance the flavor.  However, please do use the optional ingredients when preparing it as a side dish.  

    Children might not like biting on herbs and seeds, so use the optional ingredients as per you family taste. Another option is to use fenugreek powder, as it blends into the drink and avoid biting the seeds when drinking.

    Can you make buttermilk at home?

    Yes you can.  I usually use homemade yogurt or store bought yogurt to make buttermilk at home.  Whisk yogurt and dilute it to desired consistency.   Since it is so easy to prepare at home, I seldom buy buttermilk. 

    Is it Kids Friendly?

    It depends on child's taste. Fenugreek is bitter in taste and not everyone might like it. My nephews do not like herbs and seeds in their chaas but my friend's children love it. One way to make it kids friendly is to modify the recipe a bit. Use pinch of roasted fenugreek powder instead of seeds. Roasting mellows down the bitter taste of the seeds. Also adjust green chilies accordingly.

    Recipe is adapted from 'Cooking at home with Pedatha', cookbook.

    This recipe was originally posted in Sept 2016. Updating the post to include a recipe card and images to meet my current theme's requirements.

    Fenugreek flavored buttermilk or menthi majjiga served in blue colored glasses

    Menthi Majjiga Recipe

    📖 Recipe

    Bowls of fenugreek flavored buttermilk

    Menthi Majjiga

    Menthi majjiga is a fenugreek flavored buttermilk. It is a refreshing summer drink from South India.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Beverage
    Cuisine: South Indian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 168kcal
    Author: Usha Rao

    Equipment

    • Whisk
    • Bowl
    • Pan for Tempering

    Ingredients

    Buttermilk

    • 1 ½ cups Yogurt I used nonfat homemade yogurt
    • 1 - 1 ½ cups Water
    • ⅛ tsp. Cumin crushed
    • ½ tsp. Salt adjust to taste
    • Few drops about ¼ teaspoon Lime Juice

    Tempering

    • 2 tsp. Oil
    • ⅛ tsp. Mustard Seeds
    • ⅛ – ¼ tsp. Ajwain / Carom Seeds I used less than ¼ tsp
    • ⅛ – ¼ tsp. Fenugreek Seeds
    • ⅛ tsp. Cumin Seeds
    • Dash of Asafoetida / Hing I didn’t use
    • 1 – 2 small Green Chilies chopped (adjust to taste)
    • 4 Curry Leaves torn into 2-3 pieces
    • 2-3 tsp. chopped Cilantro

    Instructions

    • Take yogurt in a bowl, add water and whisk lightly to make buttermilk.
    • Add freshly ground cumin powder, lime juice, salt, mix and keep aside.
    • Take oil in a pan for tempering.
    • When oil is hot, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, ajwain and let the fenugreek seeds turn light brown.
    • Reduce the flame, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, stir and turn off the flame.
    • Add curry curry, green chilies, chopped cilantro let the chilies roast in the oil.
    • Pour it over buttermilk, stir and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Notes

    • Fenugreek Seeds - Substitute seeds with a pinch of roasted fenugreek powder.
    • Herbs - Not everyone likes herbs in their drink. Adjust herbs or skip all together.
    • Side Dish - When making a side dish, use thick buttermilk and do not skip the herbs.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 655mg | Potassium: 324mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 598IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Share a photo! Mention @usha_myspicykitchen or tag #Usha_MySpicyKitchen!

    This is my contribution to Kid's Delight - Summer Coolers, an event started by Valli and I am hosting it this month. This is also my post for this month's BM#112. Check out the Blogging Marathon Page to see what my fellow marathoners are doing this BM.

    Kids delight event logo
    Blogging Marathon Logo

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Sapana says

      June 25, 2020 at 2:21 pm

      5 stars
      I have never added fenugreek in spiced lassi or buttermilk.It sure does sounds very interesting.

      Reply
    2. NARMADHA says

      June 20, 2020 at 2:33 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect coolant to enjoy during Summer. Beautiful pictures and it is too irresistible and tempting.

      Reply
    3. Suma Gandlur says

      May 17, 2020 at 5:55 pm

      Did you repost this for the event sake or were you updating? This is one such classic summer cooler from south.

      Reply
      • Usha Rao says

        May 18, 2020 at 2:25 am

        I updated the post and republished Suma. And it also fit the theme. Or I should say I picked this post to update as it fit the week's theme. Yes, it is a great summer cooler.

        Reply
    4. cookingwithsapana says

      November 02, 2016 at 6:26 pm

      Buttermilk with fenugreek sounds interesting. Love the beautiful clicks.

      Reply
    5. Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      October 26, 2016 at 8:25 am

      I wonder how you managed to make the classic buttermilk so beautiful! Love the clicks and this recipe is definitely one of my favorite.

      Reply
    6. themadscientistskitchen says

      October 21, 2016 at 12:04 pm

      beautiful pictures and yum buttermilk. How you manage to do the cooking, clicking on one day I cannot understand. Its way beyond me.

      Reply
    7. Srivalli Jetti says

      October 14, 2016 at 3:04 am

      Usha no matter what your white on white always comes out so brilliantly!..beautiful clicks..loved all of them!..pls don't even talk about procrastination..I am the boss here..:)

      Reply
    8. Sowmya:) says

      October 13, 2016 at 9:47 am

      This sounds like a healthy and refreshing coolant. Will be perfect for a hot summer day

      Reply
    9. Smruti | Herbivore Cucina says

      October 11, 2016 at 5:47 pm

      I am not a great fan of fenugreek but this recipe is so inviting!! I must try this one really soon!

      Reply
    10. Nalini says

      October 04, 2016 at 10:04 pm

      Refreshing drink,very well captured and love those cute earthen ware..

      Reply
    11. Vaishali Sabnani says

      September 28, 2016 at 12:42 am

      Beautifully captured..and tempering the buttermilk with fenugreek sounds interesting..must try this .

      Reply
    12. srividhya says

      September 28, 2016 at 12:06 am

      Perfect coolant. We soak fenugreek in buttermilk overnight and drink it in the morning during summer.. Love that tempering.

      Reply
    13. Harini-Jaya R says

      September 27, 2016 at 12:40 pm

      Beautifully captured. Loved the white on white pictures.

      Reply
    14. Pavani says

      September 24, 2016 at 6:11 pm

      Such a simple and delicious majjiga Usha. Love the bright pics.

      Reply
    15. Priya Suresh says

      September 24, 2016 at 2:47 pm

      Omg, such a refreshing and prefect thirsty quencher. I have tried adding methi powder but not methi seeds while tempering. have to give a try.

      Reply
    16. Kalyani says

      September 24, 2016 at 5:00 am

      Lovely capture ! I have that cookbook too & there are real gems like these ! My husband makes this for us during summers with roasted methi powder

      Reply
    17. Gayathri Kumar says

      September 23, 2016 at 11:00 pm

      One of my fav drinks of all time. You have presented it beautifully..

      Reply
    18. Suma Gandlur says

      September 23, 2016 at 5:13 pm

      Love how you captured the spicy buttermilk beautifully. And I am the queen of procrastination. I still need to cook two more dishes for next week and there is no sunlight in sight for the next few days' weather cast and I am worried now.

      Reply

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    Hi, I am Usha! Welcome to my space. I am the content creator and photographer here. I love cooking and all the recipes on the site are tried and tested in my kitchen.

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