Faloodeh

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Place a shallow metal tray or loaf tin in the freezer to chill; this helps the faloodeh freeze faster once assembled. Bring 300 ml water and the caster sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved and the liquid turns clear, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the rose water and fresh lime juice, then pour the syrup into a bowl and chill it in the freezer for about 10 minutes, stirring once so it cools quickly without freezing solid at the edges.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, bring 1 litre water to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Add the thin rice vermicelli and cook just until tender, about 2 minutes or according to the packet; do not overcook or the strands will break and turn mushy. Drain immediately and rinse thoroughly under very cold running water to stop the cooking and remove excess starch.

3. 3

   Using kitchen scissors or a knife, cut the cooled vermicelli into strands about 4-5 cm long. This is traditional and makes the dessert easier to scoop and eat. Toss the noodles with the chilled rose syrup until evenly coated.

4. 4

   Pour the noodle mixture into the chilled tray in a thin layer. Freeze for 10 minutes, then scrape thoroughly with a fork to create separated, icy strands. Return to the freezer for another 6 minutes and scrape again. The texture should be semi-frozen and fluffy rather than a solid block; if needed, freeze 2-4 minutes more and scrape once more.

5. 5

   Divide the faloodeh between 2 chilled bowls or glasses. Drizzle each portion with sour cherry syrup and serve immediately with a fresh lime wedge for squeezing over at the table; the extra acidity sharpens the floral sweetness beautifully.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For the best texture, use very thin rice vermicelli; thicker noodles will not give the classic delicate icy strands.
• •If you have more time, freeze the mixture longer and scrape every 15-20 minutes for an even finer texture.
• •A spoonful of sour cherry preserves can be used instead of syrup, but loosen it with a little water first.
• •Serve in chilled bowls to slow melting.

Background