Avocado Lassi

Ingredients

• 120 ml plain yoghurt
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 tbsp honey
• 60 ml cold milk
• 1 pinch cardamom powder
• mint leaves
• 5 g chopped nuts

Method

Halve the avocado lengthways, twist to separate, and scoop the flesh into your blender. Discard the stone. The speed of this drink depends entirely on how you treat the avocado — overblend and you'll oxidise it to grey sludge; blend at high speed for just long enough to integrate it with the dairy and you'll lock in the pale green colour and silky mouthfeel that makes this work. Add the yoghurt, cold milk, honey, and a single pinch of cardamom. The cardamom isn't optional if you want depth — it's the counterpoint that stops this becoming one-note sweet fruit. Blend for 45 seconds at high speed. The mixture should thicken noticeably as the avocado emulsifies with the yoghurt; you're looking for the consistency of single cream, not a thin pour. If it's still too thick after 45 seconds, add another splash of milk — cold milk matters here because warmth accelerates oxidation and dulls the flavour.

Pour immediately into a chilled glass. Oxidation is your enemy with avocado, so work fast once you've finished blending. The drink should be thick enough that it clings to the spoon but pourable. Garnish with torn mint leaves and scatter 5 g of chopped nuts — pistachios or almonds work best — across the surface. The nuts provide textural contrast and arrest the drink's richness just enough to make it drinkable rather than cloying. Drink within five minutes of blending. This isn't a make-ahead drink; the emulsion breaks down and the green fades once it sits.