Rose Falooda with Homemade Rose Syrup

Indulge in the rich creamy goodness of Rose Falooda, a refreshing milkshake, made with homemade Rose Syrup!! This sweet and satisfying dessert drink will surely satisfy any Falooda lover and is surprisingly easy to make at home. It is yummy as well as pretty and always a lovely refreshing treat that is perfect for summer.

Let’s Make Rose Falooda
(With Homemade Rose Syrup)

Falooda (or Faluda) is a rich & creamy dessert drink. It is yummy as well as pretty!! It has different variations. Rose Falooda is the most common one.

It has beautiful layers of rose syrup, jelly (jello), cooked vermicelli (noodles), milk, and soaked basil seeds. These layers have contrasting textures and flavors. It is often served with ice cream, dry fruits, and nuts. The layers are visible and that is what makes the Falooda visually appealing and unique.

Falooda is a popular drink in Asian and Middle Eastern countries. It is also a very popular dessert drink in Sri Lanka. It is always a lovely treat for both kids and adults.

Are you looking for more Sri Lankan recipes?
Take a quick look at the recipe collection HERE

Falooda is surprisingly
easy to make at home!!

• Authentic Falooda is usually made with rose syrup. It adds a lovely floral aroma and a pink color to the drink. It is also the sweetener that you use in this recipe.
• In this Falooda recipe, I used homemade Rose Syrup made with homemade Rose Water. You can also use store-bought Rose Water to make Rose Syrup. So, unlike store-bought syrups; you know exactly what goes into it. 
• Sweet basil seeds cool the body … so Falooda is a delicious drink and very cooling for the summer.
• Falooda is an easily customizable drink. You can make it to suit your preferences.
• You can prepare all of the components one or two days in advance.

Are you looking for more International recipes?
Take a quick look at the recipe collection HERE

What is Falooda?

Falooda is a cold dessert drink similar to a milkshake. It has origins in the Persian (Iranian) dish Faloodeh. Faloodeh is still popular in Iran. It is now a popular drink in Asian and Middle Eastern countries. These countries include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Falooda is usually made by beautifully layering rose syrup or Falooda syrup, cooked vermicelli (noodles), soaked sweet basil seeds, jelly (jello), and milk in a tall glass. It is served topped with ice cream, dried fruits, and nuts. But, you will find many different variations of Falooda across the world.

Ingredients you will need

There are some essential ingredients and several optional add-ins. You can buy sweet basil seeds, Falooda vermicelli, and rose syrup in an Indian or Asian store or on Amazon.

• Rose syrup or Falooda syrup, homemade or store-bought
• Milk, fresh or boiled
• Cardamom
• Sweet basil seeds (Sabja seeds)
• Vanilla
• Jelly or jello
• Cooked vermicelli or noodles, optional
• Ice cream
• Nuts and dry fruits

How to make Rose syrup at Home?

Authentic Falooda is commonly made with rose syrup. Both homemade rose syrup and store-brought rose syrup work well. It adds a lovely floral aroma and a pink color to the drink. It is the only sweetener you need in this Falooda recipe. You can easily make rose syrup at home with homemade rose water or store-bought rose water.

Rose syrup made with homemade rose water
(Using fresh rose petals)

Quick Rose Syrup with store-bought Rose Water (No roses required)

For the syrup, combine the sugar (100 g) and water (100 ml) in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the mixture becomes thick to the consistency of maple syrup. Remove from the heat. Stir in the rose water (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon according to the rose water used). You need red food coloring to make red color syrup if you use transparent rose water.

More about ingredients

Milk

preferably full-fat dairy milk, but non-dairy milk also works. The milk must be cold or chilled.

Vanilla

Using Vanilla is highly recommended as it adds a nice flavor to Falooda.

Sweet basil seeds

Sweet Basil seeds, also known as Tukmaria seeds, Sabja seeds, or kasa-kasa, are black and tear-drop-shaped seeds. They sometimes be confused with chia seeds. Interestingly, basil seeds contain no calories and are rich in antioxidants. Basil seeds are hard to chew raw, make sure to soak them in water which makes them gelatinous before consuming. Swap chia seeds with sweet basil seeds. if you can’t find them or don’t like them, leave them out.

Jelly or Jello

You can use multi-colored jello or use only one. Strawberry, raspberry, or rose-flavored jelly all work well with this recipe. You need to make and set the jelly a day earlier before you include it in your Falooda.

Cooked noodles

In authentic Falooda recipes, cooked roasted vermicelli or Falooda Sev made from cornstarch or arrowroot flour is added. You can use thin rice vermicelli or just leave it out. Cook in boiling water according to packet instructions and then rinse under cold water and drain well.

Ice cream

Vanilla ice cream is preferred but you can also use other ice cream varieties as you like.

Nuts and dry fruits

Some like to top it with nuts and dry fruits but that’s optional. Cashews, almonds, and pistachios are some of the nuts that you can add. You can also add glazed cherries. Raisins, and tutti frutti.

How to assemble the Falooda drink 

Falooda is a layered dessert drink. The layers have to be visible. That is what makes the Falooda visually appealing and unique. Once all your Falooda components are ready, assembling Falooda is very easy. You just add each part one after the other in a tall serving glass. There’s no right or wrong way to assemble it but the drink should look great when it is served.

Here are a few ways to layer the components for your reference.

1. Add the rose water first followed by jelly, cooked vermicelli, and basil seeds. Then pour the milk and topped with ice cream and garnished with nuts or dry fruits.
2. First goes in the sweet basil seeds, followed by the cooked vermicelli and jelly. Next, add milk, and then pour in the rose syrup. Lastly topped with ice cream and garnished with nuts or dry fruits.
4. You can mix the milk + rose syrup to make the Falooda milk instead of using the two separately. Then pour it into glasses. Add other add-ins as you like. Finally, serve with a scoop of ice cream.

Useful Tips

• There is no need to add any sugar. The rose syrup and ice cream are enough to make it sweet.
• If there are any leftover soaked basil seeds, add them to any drinks like fruit juice, rose syrup, milk, etc.
• You can make a vegan Falooda using non-dairy milk like almond milk, vegan ice cream, agar jelly, or vegan jelly.
• This recipe can be halved or made into a big batch easily.

More Drink Recipes

Sri Lankan Iced Coffee (Ayis Kōpi)

Sri Lankan Iced Coffee (Healthy Version With Milk)

Rose Falooda with Homemade Rose Syrup (Step-by-Step Recipe)

The printable recipe card can be found at the bottom of this post

Course: Dessert, Beverages, Drinks
Cuisine: Asian, Middle Eastern, South Asian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 2 to 4 tbsp rose syrup, store-bought or homemade
• 1 or 2 types of jelly, cut into cubes
• 1 tbsp sweet basil seeds
• 50 to 100 ml water for soaking sweet basil seeds
• Cooked vermicelli (or rice noodles), as needed
• 500 ml fresh full-fat milk
• 2 cardamom
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
• Crushed pistachios/almonds and raisins, as needed

Note:

• Total time does not include chilling and soaking times.
• You can prepare the rose syrup a week ahead and keep it in the refrigerator.
• Prepare the jelly, noodles, and basil seeds a day early and keep them in the refrigerator.
• You can use either chilled fresh milk or chilled milk after boiling it
• Using vanilla is optional but highly recommended.

Prepare the Rose Syrup

I used homemade rose syrup. You can make your own or use store-bought rose syrup. Please go through the ingredient section to find out how to make homemade Rose Syrup.

Prepare the Jelly or Jello

Optional but highly recommended. Strawberry, raspberry, or rose-flavored jelly all work well with this recipe. I used rose syrup jelly. Prepare the jelly according to the instructions on your gelatine or agar agar packet. Then cut it up into cubes.

You can use one or two types of jellies as you like. I love the color of pandan jelly.

Prepare the Sweet Basil Seeds

Put 1 tablespoon of sweet basil seeds into a bowl. Add water to submerge the seeds and leave to soak for 30 minutes or in the fridge overnight. If you do not have sweet basil seeds, substitute chia seeds.

During this time, the seeds will soak up the water and become almost jelly-like in consistency. Using a fine strainer drain the extra water.

Prepare the cooked vermicelli (optional)

If you use Falooda sev, prepare it according to package instructions. I used white rice noodles. In a pot of boiling, slightly salted water, blanch your noodle strands for 5 minutes. Strain, run under cold water, then leave in the fridge overnight. Cut before using them.

Prepare the Milk

You can make Falooda either with fresh cold milk or chilled milk after boiling it. If you use fresh milk without boiling, stir in vanilla before using.

I prefer boiling milk with cardamom pods as it adds a nice aromatic flavor. Place the milk and cardamom in a small pan. Bring it to a boil while keeping a close eye on it. The milk will suddenly rise. Lower the heat and gently simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir regularly to avoid scorching. Pour the milk into a jug and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours up to overnight. Remove the cardamom before using it. Stir in vanilla before using.

You can also mix the milk and rose syrup to make rose milk, instead of using them separately.

Prepare the Ice cream

Vanilla ice cream is the preferred choice of ice cream. But other ice cream varieties like mango and butterscotch also work well.

Prepare the nuts and dry fruits

I have added almonds, pistachios, and raisins. You can also add glazed cherries, tutti frutti, and cashews. Chop the nuts that you will be adding.

Assemble

All our Falooda components are ready so let’s put them together.

• In 2 tall serving glasses each, add the rose syrup first. You can add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of rose syrup. This depends on the sweetness preferred and the size of the glass.
• Now add some jelly cubes and 1 or 2 tablespoons of the cooked noodles if you are using them. Then add 2 tablespoons of the soaked basil seeds.
• Gently, pour the milk into the glass, not quite to the top.
• Finally, top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and then scatter nuts and dried fruits.

Serve and Enjoy!!

Serve immediately. Falooda is best served immediately with long spoons and large straws. Give the drink a good stir before you sip. 

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