Buttermilk is a product of naturally fermented milk, is the liquid left over after removing the fat in the form of butter from churned curd or yogurt tasting slightly acidic and sour in flavor. Traditionally, buttermilk is consumed mixed with rice at the end of the meal in Southern Indian households . In summer, drinking a large glass of buttermilk offers the simplest and surest way to overcome dehydration as it contains electrolytes like, potassium, calcium, and traces of phosphorus and water. For vegetarians, buttermilk is the best source of Vitamin B12 helping to fight anaemia and stress. Drinking the buttermilk / majjige is very good during pregnancy as well.
To know about the benefits of this buttermilk please read the article about this super probiotic by Dr.Shivashankar.
Here is how to prepare buttermilk at home from the cream we collect and the curd. Using this buttermilk we have 2 awesome delicious masala majjige or masala spicy buttermilk recipe.

Ingredients for making buttermilk:

Variety 1:

• 4 cups of  buttermilk (1 cup curd +3 cups water or 2 cup homemade buttermilk +2 cups water
• little coriander leaves
• 1 small green chilli(optional
• 1 inch ginger
• ¾ to 1 tsp salt

variety 2:

• 4 cups buttermilk (1 cup curd +3 cups water or 2 cup homemade buttermilk +2 cups water
• 10 to 15 mint leaves
• ½ tsp jeera / cumin seeds
• 1 green chilli or few pepper corns (optional)
• ¾ to 1 tsp salt

Method:

How to make buttermilk:

• Use raw or non homogenized whole milk
• Collect the cream which forms on top of the boiled and cooled milk, and top layer of the curd / yogurt (2 to 6 days worth depending on the milk usage in your home ( refrigerate and the day you churn the butter bring it to room temperature)
• Add water ( if it is hot day add little cold water and it is cold winter days add little warm water) to this and using a blender /mixer churn it on medium speed. It takes 1 to 3 minutes to get the butter)
• For Masala Majjige – If you don’t have the homemade buttermilk, take a cup of curd, whisk it or blend it, add 2 to 3 cups of water to it.

Variety 1:

• First crush the masale- coriander leaves,green chilli, and ginger) to fine paste. either use mixer or mortar and pestle to crush this masale.
• Add the masale to the buttermilk, add salt and mix it well. keep it aside.

Variety 2 :

• Repeat the same procedure with the variety 2 masale (mint, cumin seeds(jeera and green chilli) as well.
• you can strain this majjige/buttermilk before you serve or you drink as it is.
• To make another variety masala majjige mix variety 1 and variety 2 and here you have a third variety .

Note:

1. You can add garlic as well.