Home-made cool, creamy falooda!

Nothing beats the heat better than a big glass of cool and creamy falooda! Now you can make some for you and your family within the privacy of your air-conditioned habitats (no leaving home – yipee!). A timeless classic, this recipe is a sure-shot hit amongst family and friends. As intimidating as it looks, it takes very little time and effort to prepare it.

Ingredients (serves 5)

• 1 kg milk


• 5-6 tbsp sugar


• Few strands saffron


• 2-3 cardamoms (powdered or thinly chopped)


• 1 tsp agar-agar powder (China grass)


• 2 cups water


• Few drops food coloring (any color other than red)


• Few drops Essence (Rose or Strawberry)


• 1 pack of instant jelly (Strawberry flavour)


• 1 liter Ice Cream (Strawberry, Vanilla or Tutti Fruiti)


• 1 tbsp Lallemantia (Tukh malanga) soaked in water (Optional)


• For garnishing: cherries, whipped cream, condensed milk, Rooh Afza, thinly chopped almonds and pistachios

Method

1. Cook milk, sugar, cardamom, saffron and few drops of essence in a sauce pan until the milk reduces to 60 per cent of its original quantity and gets a slightly yellowish tint; keep in the refrigerator to cool


2. Prepare one pack of instant jelly and put it in the refrigerator to set


3. Heat water in a pan and mix in the china grass powder with some food color; once mixed properly, put in the refrigerator to set


4. Once everything has cooled down, take about one cup of reduced milk in a glass


5. Now take out the China grass mixture and grate it; add to the glass


6. Cut the jelly into cubes and put it in the glass


7. Take some tukh malangas and add them to the glass – you can skip this if you don’t like them or can’t find them


8. Add a scoop (or two – depending upon the capacity in your glass) of Ice Cream in the glass


9. Garnish on top with condensed milk, Rooh Afza, whipped cream, cherries, pistachios and almonds


10. Serve immediately with a long spoon and a straw

I am making myself a glass as soon as I break my fast - and you?