Different restaurants and stalls give this falooda different names on their menu like royal falooda, shahi falooda, or falooda ice cream, etc. It is also spelled as faluda.
❤️ What Is Falooda?
Falooda is adopted (or derived) from the Persian dessert ‘faloodeh’. Falooda recipe is more popular in South Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc. You’ll find many street stalls selling falooda all over India, especially in Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi. You’ll find this in many restaurants’ menus as well. It falls into the dessert category as it is an indulging beverage that is heavy and full of calories. You can call this falooda a dessert drink just like this mango mastani. You’ll need a straw as well as a spoon to enjoy it. There are many different flavors of falooda available at stalls or restaurants, but rose-flavored royal falooda is the most common. Another seasonal flavor is mango falooda. All the layered elements bring different texture and colors that makes this falooda a beautiful, eye-catching dessert with a refreshing feeling. This summer drink is super cooling to your body, as sabja seeds (basil seeds) and rose syrup have cooling properties that help to beat the heat in the summer months.
❤️ You’ll Love This Falooda Recipe
Easy to make: It looks like there are so many different elements in the falooda recipe but prepping all of them is super easy. Keep them ready and assemble the falooda in under 2 minutes. Kid-friendly: Not just they like to enjoy it but kids can help in assembling the layers. Customizable: Just because you’re making this falooda at home, you can adjust the ratio of some elements as per your liking. E.g., if you like more jelly, add more. If you like more vermicelli, add more. Don’t like sabja seeds then add less. Make ahead: All the elements can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. At the time of serving, just assemble and enjoy.
🧾Ingredient Notes
Here is a pic of the ingredients you’ll need to make this falooda recipe at home. For Jelly:
You’ll need water, sugar, rose syrup, and agar-agar powder. As being vegetarian, I have used agar-agar powder to make the jelly at home. Otherwise, you can use a ready pack of jello (it contains gelatin which is not vegetarian) and follow the instruction on that package to make jelly.
Sweetened Milk:
Traditionally, milk and sugar are simmered until milk is thickened slightly. Then this milk is chilled in the refrigerator. Let’s take a shortcut here and make it by combining milk and sweetened condensed milk. No need to heat the milk. So you’ll have chilled, sweetened milk ready in a minute.
Sabja seeds (Basil seeds or Tukmaria):
You need to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. And after 30 minutes it swells up and creates a gel-like layer around it. More soaking time does not hurt. Even you can keep refrigerated soaked sabja seeds for up to 3 days.
Falooda sev (Vermicelli):
It is easily available in any Indian or Pakistani grocery store. It comes in yellow or white color, you can choose any. Falooda sev is made from corn starch (corn flour) and water.
Rose syrup: The beautiful pink color of this faluda comes from rose syrup (another key ingredient). Rose syrup is easily available here in the USA, and you will find it in Indian grocery stores. Instead of rose syrup, you can use rooh afza as well. Toppings:
Vanilla ice cream: A scoop of ice cream per serving is needed. Nuts: I have used almonds and pistachios. Some like to garnish with tutti frutti or glazed cherry. Dried (or fresh) rose petals: You can use them as a garnish but it is optional.
👩🍳How To Make Falooda? (Stepwise Photos)
Make Jelly: 1, 2, 3) Take water in a saucepan and turn the heat on medium. Add sugar, agar-agar powder, and rose syrup. 4) Mix well and bring it to a simmer. 5) Let it simmer for 2 minutes or until everything is dissolved well. 6) Transfer this liquid to an 8×8 pan and let it rest for 2 hours at room temperature. 7, 8, 9) Once it sets like jelly, cut it into small pieces. Keep it aside or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container to keep it chilled. This makes more amount of jelly than required for 4 servings. Make Sweetened Milk:
- Add condensed milk to milk.
- Whisk it until well combined and keep in the fridge until needed. Soak Sabja Seeds:
- Take sabja or basil seeds in a bowl and add water.
- Let it soak for 30 minutes and it swells up and increases 4-5 times in volume. Once it swells up you can keep it in the fridge to keep them chilled. Make Falooda Sev: 1, 2) Bring water to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Add falooda sev and cook for around 5-7 minutes (or as per your package instructions). You can see the color is yellow but once cooked it turns white.
- Once cooked drain and run it under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Cut into small pieces using kitchen scissors. You have all the elements ready and you just have to assemble it in layers in tall glasses. Note: Keep all the ready elements in the fridge until required so they stay chilled. Assemble Falooda: Note: The proportions may vary depending on the size of your glass. Given amount below is for 1 serving and take it as a guide
- Add around 2 tablespoons of jelly to the bottom of the glass.
- Add 2 tablespoons cooked sev on top.
- Add 2 tablespoons sabja seeds on top.
- Add 1 ½ tablespoons rose syrup (drizzle some on the inner sides of the glass as well.
- Slowly add around ½ cup of milk.
- Add a scoop of ice cream.
- Garnish with chopped nuts, and dried rose petals and drizzle around ½ teaspoon of rose syrup as a garnish and serve.
💭Expert Tips
Make sure all the elements (components) are chilled before you start assembling falooda. Making falooda for a party:
Rose syrup: Use rooh afza Falooda sev: Use thin wheat vermicelli (sevaiyan) or thin rice noodles. Sabja (basil) seeds: Use chia seeds Ice cream: Use kulfi for kulfi falooda.
When you need to make this falooda recipe for a crowd then assembling it right before serving is not a good idea. I would mix the rose syrup with sweetened milk along with sabja seeds and falooda sev. Keep all these mixed in a large deep bowl. Keep this bowl in the refrigerated chilled. At the time of serving, stir the mixture, and pour it into a serving glass using a large ladle. Top with jelly and a scoop of ice cream and serve. Garnishing with nuts and rose petals is optional.
🥣 Storage Instructions
Assembled falooda should be served right away. But individual elements (jelly, soaked sabja, cooked falooda sev, sweetened milk) can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Did you try this faluda recipe? I’d love to hear about it. Leave a review in the comment section below.
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