And just like that, we are already into July. The months of May and June sped by with a lot of travel, visits with relatives and a new for me – teaching an Indian cooking class in Boston. So all the summer recipes planned for the blog – the burgers, the grilled kebabs, the picnic sandwiches and the frozen treats are still sitting as ideas in my notes folder; perhaps only to be posted next summer. Because pretty soon, August will roll by and we will be staring at pumpkin recipes by then!
Made this Falooda a couple of months ago when we had friends over. Equally at home as a drink and a dessert, it is the Indian sub-continent’s ice-cream sundae. With origins in Iran as a dessert called faloodeh, it made it’s way to India and was popularized by the Mughals. And although there are many versions including ones made with different fruits, the classic rose-flavored one remains my favorite. I already have a recipe from many years ago on the blog but this one is a little special because the falooda noodles are made from scratch and the syrup is a delicious raspberry-rose version. For the longest time, I used store-bought noodles or otherwise subbed with rice noodles. Until I came across some recipes for homemade ones and realized how ridiculously simple it was to make.
All you need is some corn or tapioca starch, some sugar and water. In my twist, I also added rose water and dried rose petals. So much easier than making the savory sev or murukku and greasing the sev maker makes clean-up a breeze, a huge plus in my book!
I used freeze-dried raspberries to make the syrup since I had some at home. You can certainly use fresh raspberries or even strawberries. I personally like the pink hue that the raspberries impart. And this is a tad bit simpler to make compared to the one from fresh rose petals. The other important element is the subja/tukmaria which is the seeds of the sweet basil plant. It swells up when added to water and forming a gelatinous mass, not unlike chia seeds. It is supposed to have cooling effects on the body and is hence great in summer drinks. Easily available in Indian grocery stores, you can substitute with soaked chia seeds if needed.
Falooda has a really special place in my heart, full of childhood memories! My favorite was from Badshah Cold Drink House near Crawford Market in Mumbai. It was right by the gold bazaar; which we went to very, very rarely! So whenever there was a visit to Zaveri bazaar, falooda from the shop was a special treat.
This is quite a show-stopper when entertaining. Prepping all the elements a couple of days in advance and assembling just before serving makes for a very stress-free dessert option. You can certainly use store-bought rose syrup and another option is the popular drink called Rooh Afza. It will be delicious no matter how you make it 🙂
Raspberry-Rose Falooda with Homemade Falooda Noodles
Ingredients
- For the Falooda sev:
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 2 tsp rose water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried rose petals, crushed into a fine powder
- Sev maker with the smallest holes, greased
- Bowl with ice-cold water and some ice cubes
- For the raspberry-rose syrup:
- 1 cup freeze-dried raspberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 4-5 tbsp rose water
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- For the Falooda*:
- 4 cups milk
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 4 tsp subja seeds**
- 4 scoops vanilla ice cream
- sliced pistachios and rose petals for garnish
Instructions
For the falooda:
Add sugar to the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for 4-5 mins. Turn off the stove and cool to room temperature and then chill the milk.
Rinse the Subja seeds and add enough water to just come a little over the surface. Keep aside for about half an hour to swell.
For the Falooda noodles:
Mix the corn starch and 1/3 cup water into a lump-free slurry and add the rest of the water.
Transfer to a medium non-stick pan, add the sugar and start heating over medium heat.
As it starts to thicken, add the rose water and when it comes together as a lump, turn off the heat and add the dried rose petals. Stir and transfer to the barrel of the sev maker. Press the sev into the ice cold water and set aside. Freezing it for about an hour makes the sev a little chewier.
For the raspberry-rose syrup:
Powder the raspberries and add a cup of water. Add the sugar and bring to a boil. Add the lemon juice and cook until it thickens slightly.
Turn off the stove and add the rose water, stir and strain. Keep aside;
To assemble the falooda:
Take four tall glasses. Add approx. 1/4 cup syrup to each glass. Then add a 1/4 quantity of the subja seeds to each glass followed by about 1/3 cup of the falooda sev. Add a fourth of the portion of the chilled milk by letting it flow gently along the walls of the glass to preserve the layers. Add a scoop of the ice-cream to each glass. Drizzle some more of the rose syrup, sprinkle sliced pistachios and rose petals and serve.
Notes
* Start with boiling the milk and chilling since that takes the longest time. ** Subja/ Tukmaria are the seeds of the sweet basil plant. You can find them easily in Indian grocery stores but can substitute with chia seeds. *** You can store the leftover sev in a little water in the freezer and the same with any leftover syrup.
