Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Rose Falooda
A decadent, multi-layered dessert beverage. Sweet rose milk loaded with chewy basil seeds, silky glass noodles, jelly, and topped with vanilla ice cream.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 2 servings
- full-fat milk
- rose syrup (Rooh Afza)
- sabja seeds (sweet basil seeds/tukmaria)
- falooda sev (cornstarch vermicelli)
- strawberry or raspberry jelly
- vanilla ice cream
- pistachios and almonds
- sugar (optional)
Equipment
- Tall sundae glasses
- Saucepan
Instructions
- 1
Soak the Sabja Seeds
Soak a tablespoon of sweet basil seeds (sabja/tukmaria) in half a cup of water for 30 minutes. They will swell up, look transparent with black centers, and become gelatinous.
- 2
Prepare the Jelly
Make the strawberry or raspberry jelly according to the packet instructions. Let it set in the fridge, then cut it into tiny cubes.
- 3
Cook the Falooda Sev
Boil the falooda sev (fine cornstarch noodles) in water for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water so they don't stick.
- 4
Prepare the Milk
Boil the full-fat milk and let it cool completely. Sweeten it with 2-3 tablespoons of thick rose syrup (like Rooh Afza). It should be a beautiful pink color. Chill it in the fridge.
- 5
Prepare the Glass
Take a tall, clear sundae glass or milkshake glass. Drizzle a little concentrated rose syrup down the inner sides of the glass for presentation.
- 6
Layer 1: Sabja Seeds
Add 2 generous tablespoons of the swollen basil seeds to the bottom of the glass.
- 7
Layer 2: Noodles
Add a layer of the cooked, cold falooda sev over the seeds.
- 8
Layer 3: Jelly
Add a spoonful of the chopped red jelly cubes.
- 9
Pour the Milk
Carefully pour the chilled pink rose milk into the glass, filling it about three-quarters of the way to the top.
- 10
Layer 4: Ice Cream
Carefully place a large scoop of vanilla or strawberry ice cream on top of the milk.
- 11
Garnish
Drizzle a little more rose syrup over the ice cream. Sprinkle generously with chopped pistachios and almonds.
- 12
Serve
Serve immediately with a long spoon and a wide straw. It must be eaten and drunk simultaneously.
Cooking Tips
- Sabja seeds look like chia seeds but are different; they swell up instantly and have a cooling effect on the body. You can use chia seeds as a substitute if necessary.
- Do not use regular wheat vermicelli; you must use falooda sev (cornstarch or arrowroot noodles) which turn slippery and silky when cold.
Variations
- Kulfi Falooda: The ice cream is replaced with a block of rich, dense traditional Kulfi.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Originally a Persian dessert brought to India by the Mughal emperors, now a staple of Mumbai street food.
Nutrition Estimate
350 calories · 6g protein · 55g carbs · 12g fat · 3g fiber per serving
