Falooda Cold Drink
Falooda Cold Drink
Mamta Gupta
It is said that this cool drink was a favourite of the Empress Noorjahan. It is popular in Bombay and the regions around it. In North India, Falooda is a type of arrowroot vermicelli that is served with Kulfi Indian ice-cream. It may have originated from Iranian/Persian faloodeh during the Mogul empire in India.
Ingredients
1-2 tbsp. Agar agar jelly strips or pieces* per person, chopped
1 teaspoon tukmaria or subja seeds (from basil/tulsi** family). They look a bit like poppy seeds and swell up when soaked. They can be bought in packets from Indian grocers.
Rose syrup or 'Rooh-Afza' syrup, made in India and Pakistan, it can be bought from Indian grocers.
Ice cold water or milk, 1 cup per person
1 scoop of crushed ice or vanilla ice-cream (tastes better) per person
Instructions
Soak agar-agar strips in water and leave overnight or at least for 2-3 hours. They should be soft.
Wash and soak tukmaria in warm water for 30 minutes to an hour, until they swell and look 'slippery' and translucent.
Cool serving glasses in the fridge. Use tall glasses.
Put 1 tbsp. rose syrup (or to taste) at the bottom of each glass.
Put 1 tbsp. swollen turkmania seeds and softened agar agar pieces/strips/gelatine pieces in each glass.
Pour 1 cup milk in each glass. Mix well.
Add crushed ice or vanilla ice-cream on top.
Serve immediately
You can add a few chopped almonds or cashew nuts on top.
Notes
*Agar agar jelly strips: It can be bought from Indian or Chinese shops. If it is not available, chop jelly blocks into very small (0.5 cm sq.) pieces and use instead. If even these are not available, try using cellophane noodles, broken into small pieces and prepared as per instruction on the packet.
Passion fruit seeds can be used as a last resort.
