Falooda


Falooda is an Indian version of a cold dessert made with noodles. It has origins in the Persian dish faloodeh, variants of which are found across West, Central, and South Asia. Traditionally it is made by mixing rose syrup, vermicelli, and sweet basil seeds with milk, often served with ice cream. The vermicelli used for preparing falooda is made from wheat, arrowroot, cornstarch, or sago.

History

The foundation of falooda goes back to Iran, where a similar dessert, faloodeh, was popular. The dessert came to Medieval India with the many Muslim merchants and dynasties that settled in the Indian subcontinent in the 16th to 18th century. The present form of falooda was developed in the Mughal Empire and spread with its conquests. Muslim rulers who succeeded from the Mughals patronized the dessert with their own adaptations, specifically in Hyderabad Deccan and the Carnatic areas of present-day India. This dessert is now a major part of Pakistani and Bangladeshi culture, specially served on Islamic holidays, weddings and other occasions. It is also a well known part of Sri Lankan modern culture.

Metaphorical references

In idiomatic Hindustani, falooda is sometimes used as a reference to something that has been shredded, which is an allusion to the vermicelli noodles. For example, someone who falls into disrepute might say that his or her izzat has been turned to falooda, which is roughly equivalent to saying "my reputation is shot."

Variants