Falooda
Falooda is a cold layered dessert drink with fruit coulis, chia seeds, jelly and rice noodles under chilled milk, finished with ice cream, strawberries and pistachios. It tastes creamy and fruity, with nutty crunch and a mix of soft, chewy and jelly textures.
Ingredients
Method
- Put four tall glasses in the fridge to chill.
- Cover 30 g chia seed with plenty of water and leave for 20 minutes. Strain off the water and keep the soaked seeds.
- Cook 100 g fine rice vermicelli in boiling water for 8–10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- Set out all the components before assembling so the glasses can be filled quickly.
- Spoon 232 g berry coulis equally into the bases of the four chilled glasses.
- Divide 30 g soaked chia seed between the glasses.
- Spoon 135 g strawberry jelly into the glasses, dividing it equally.
- Top each glass with 100 g fine rice vermicelli, divided evenly.
- Pour chilled whole milk into each glass until it is two-thirds full.
- Add a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream to each glass.
- Scatter over 30 g roughly chopped strawberry and 30 g crushed pistachio.
Don't have something?
Basil seedUse the same weight. Soak in water for 10–15 minutes until gelled; it gives a similar slippery texture but larger seeds.
Poppy seedUse the same weight. It gives crunch but no gel; toast lightly or grind if the recipe needs a paste-like body.
Hemp seedUse the same weight. It is nutty and soft but does not gel; add at the end if you want texture rather than thickening.
VermicelliUse the same weight; check whether it is rice or wheat vermicelli and soak or cook as the packet says. Wheat version is less delicate.
Thick vermicelliUse the same weight and soak or boil 2–3 minutes longer; chewier and thicker, so cut shorter for salads.
Strawberry puréeUse the same weight, sieve if needed. Sweeter and less tart; add a little lemon juice to sharpen.
Mixed berriesUse the same weight, blend and sieve. Adjust sugar to taste; texture is fresher and less concentrated.
Mango pulpUse the same weight. Smooth and sweet but not berry-flavoured; add lemon juice for acidity.
- Strawberry purée
Use the same weight, warm it and set with gelatine powder (about 10 g per 500 g purée) and a little sugar. Softer set and fresher flavour than jelly.
- Mixed berries
Cook down and strain to a purée, sweeten, then set with gelatine powder. Use the same weight; more tart and less uniform.
MilkUse 100% of the weight. If using semi-skimmed milk, stir in 10 g butter per 200 g milk to match the richness of whole milk.
Single creamUse 60% cream diluted with 40% water by weight to match the fat content of whole milk. Gravies will taste richer and reduce faster.
Ice creamUse the same weight; choose a plain creamy flavour and adjust sugar only if needed.
Pistachio ice creamUse the same weight for a nutty accompaniment; it will change the flavour clearly.
Strawberry ice creamUse the same weight for a fruity accompaniment; it is sweeter and more acidic.
Green grapeUse the same weight, halved or chopped; add a little lemon juice if the recipe needs tartness. Texture is firmer and less juicy.
PearUse the same weight, diced; it is softer and sweeter, so reduce added sugar slightly.
Canned pineappleUse the same drained weight, chopped; it is more acidic and sweet, so adjust sugar and lemon accordingly.
Pistachio nutUse the same weight; blanch and peel for a brighter green paste. This is the closest match.
AlmondUse the same weight; blanch and peel. It is firmer and less sweet, so grind a little longer.
Cashew nutUse the same weight; soak in hot water for 15 minutes for a smooth paste. It is sweeter and softer.
Similar dishes
- Same: Both use whole milk as a main ingredient.
- Different: Paneer curds whole milk with lemon juice and drains the curds, while this dish layers milk with chia seeds, rice vermicelli, berry coulis, strawberry jelly, ice cream, strawberries and pistachios and is served cold.
- Same: How to Make Homemade Paneer shares whole milk as a main ingredient with this dish.
- Different: It uses only whole milk and lemon juice and is curdled, drained and pressed into firm cheese, while this dish adds chia seeds, rice vermicelli, berry coulis, strawberry jelly, vanilla ice cream, strawberries and pistachios and is served cold in layers.
- Same: Homemade Ghee and this dish both rely on dairy for richness, using butter in the ghee and milk plus ice cream in this dish.
- Different: Homemade Ghee has only unsalted butter and is made by simmering and straining out milk solids, while this dish has chia seeds, rice vermicelli, berry coulis, strawberry jelly, milk, vanilla ice cream, strawberries and pistachios and is assembled cold in layers.
- Same: Smoked Butter shares a dairy base with this dish, using butter where this dish uses whole milk and vanilla ice cream.
- Different: Smoked Butter has only butter and coal and is melted, smoke-infused and strained, while this dish layers chia seeds, rice vermicelli, berry coulis, strawberry jelly, milk, ice cream, strawberries and pistachios and is served cold.