Falooda is a traditional Indian dessert beverage sweetened with rose syrup and other flavours. Though it’s not well known in the West, its taste is easy for foreign palates to get used to and its consistency is similar to a milkshake or smoothie. Making Falooda is easy — for many, the hardest part will be finding some of the ingredients, though most Indian or South Asian grocery stores should carry them.
Step One
Ingredients - 1 1/2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 scoops vanilla ice cream, 2 teaspoons basil seeds, 2 tablespoons rose syrup, Handful falooda sev, Chopped pistachios for garnish (optional), Rose petals for garnish (optional)
Step Two
Get hard-to-find ingredients at an Indian grocery store. Milk, sugar, and ice cream should be available at almost any supermarket, but basil seeds, rose syrup, and falooda sev will not usually be. For these, you'll need to visit an Indian or South Asian grocer. You may be able to find them at certain non-Indian specialty grocers' as well. Most of these ingredients are also available for order online if you do not have a place to buy them near you.Falooda sev is a type of Indian noodle somewhat similar to vermicelli. You can buy dry falooda or make it yourself from scratch. A good falooda sev recipe is available here
Step Three
Soak the basil seeds. In a cup, cover the basil seeds with an inch of water. Stir once, then let them soak for 30 minutes. After soaking, drain them in a fine mesh strainer and set aside.While you wait for the seeds to soak, feel free to proceed to the next few steps.
Step Four
Heat milk and sugar. Pour the two ingredients into a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and let simmer for 5-7 minutes. Pour the thickened milk into separate container and let it chill in the fridge.
Step Five
Make the falooda sev. Follow the instructions on the packaging for best results. If you made your own falooda sev or your packaging doesn't have instructions, follow these steps:Bring water to a boil in a small pot.Add falooda sev and cook for about 4-5 minutes.Drain the falooda in a strainer, rinsing it with cold water to stop the cooking process.Use a knife or pair of scissors to cut the noodles into small pieces.
Step Six
Layer the falooda ingredients in a glass. Grab two tall, decorative glasses to serve your beverages in. Add ingredients to each glass in the following order (use half of each ingredient per glass):Basil seeds, Cooked falooda sev, Rose syrup, Milk — it's OK if basil seeds or falooda sev float to the top at this point.
Step Seven
Optionally, garnish before serving. The falooda is ready to drink at this point. If you wish, you can add a handful of chopped pistachios and rose petals to the top of the drink as a garnish, though this is not needed.Serve the falooda immediately. It does not keep if allowed to sit or stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy!