Custard Apple Lassi Shots

A CREAMY AND COZY LASSI SHOOTER THAT IS EASIER THAN EVER TO SERVE THIS DIWALI!

Perfectly festive, perfectly balanced...this is how I would describe these amazing shooters!

My mum's favorite fruit is custard apples, and there's something about sitaphal (also known as custard apple) that feels like pure nostalgia whenever it's on the menu. Whenever my mum comes to visit during the summertime in San Diego, I will go to the farmers market before she arrives to stock up on fresh custard apples specifically.

While hard to find year-round in fresh form, my local Indian grocer has never failed me in the frozen aisle. There's tons of different companies that now make frozen sitaphal pulp. Just defrost and you're ready to use in any and all recipes!

Sitaphal is a tropical fruit known for its sweet, creamy pulp. It’s rich in natural sugars and has a flavor similar to banana and vanilla custard, making it both incredibly fragrant and luxuriously creamy. It's now a Tash Mashup staple ingredient due to its mellow sweetness. The sweetness level makes it an ideal vessel for transforming into desserts, smoothies, or, in this case, creamy little lassi shots that make for the BEST welcome shooter for Diwali!

Speaking of Diwali, the festive season always inspires me to create recipes that celebrate both comfort and style... the kind that make hosting feel special without the stress. Between all the hustle and bustle of the day, my MO is creating easy recipes that look elevated but take just minutes to pull together. And I mean it...just MINUTES. These little shooters are the playbook in this case: we're working with simple add-ins, minimal effort, and major payoff. :)

If you know me, you know that entertaining for me is all about the details and trust. Everyone LOVES a welcome shooter when they walk through the door. Greeting guests with a welcome shooter makes for an instantly elegant yet unexpected surprise.

If you’re looking for something creamy, cozy, and a little different for your Diwali spread this year, this one’s for you! A quick blitz and that’s all it takes to serve something beautiful and very YUMMY.

Happy Diwali, all!!!

                                                             ____________________________________________

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup whole milk (adjust for thickness)

• ¾ cup frozen sitaphal (custard apple) pulp (defrosted according to package instructions)

• 1½–2 tsp honey (or more to taste)

• ¼ tsp pumpkin-spice seasoning blend (or any combo of cozy spices, i.e., nutmeg, cinnamon, clove)

• Pinch of salt

• Garnish options: More freshly grated nutmeg, fresh flower petals, a tiny cinnamon stick, and/or edible gold leaf or dust

  
  

DIRECTIONS 

1. Combine yogurt, milk, sitaphal pulp, sugar or honey, pumpkin spice, and salt in a blender.

2. Blend until smooth, creamy, and frothy.

3. Taste and adjust the sweetness or add a tiny splash or two more of milk to reach your preferred consistency.

4. Pour into chilled small shot glasses or katoris.

5. Garnish as desired! Cheers!

   
   

~ Serves 10-12 (mini shots)

Notes

• Can I use fresh custard apple instead of frozen pulp? Absolutely. Just scoop out the flesh, remove all the seeds, and measure about ¾ cup of pulp. Fresh pulp may make the mixture thicker, so you can add more milk if needed.

• Can I make these vegan? Yes, just use unsweetened coconut or almond yogurt and oat milk for a delicious dairy-free version that still keeps the creamy texture. Be sure to adjust and account for the right level of sweetness.

• How far in advance can I prep them? I love this recipe because you can blend up to a day in advance, refrigerate, and re-blend quickly before serving. Note: you can only make this two days in advance, given that this recipe keeps well for up to two days in an airtight container.

• Do I need pumpkin spice? If you don’t have it, just simply mix as many of your favorite cozy spices together. You can just use a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom for the same effect.