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A popular Persian dessert is faloodeh, prepared with frozen vermicelli rice noodles in rose and lime syrup.
Known as a “Persian granita,” this vegan, gluten-free dessert is crisp and refreshing. No special gear required!
After eating lamb Kofte Kabobs (Koobideh), Joojeh Kabob (Persian Saffron Chicken Kabobs), and Persian Rice, I tried Faloodeh as a youngster. After dinner, I received a little dish of rose-scented frozen noodles and a lime wedge to squeeze on top.
I was skeptical about eating crispy frozen noodles as dessert, but one mouthful convinced me. I love faloodeh as an adult, especially after a rich lunch.
Faloodeh is commonly served with Bastani Sonati, a Persian saffron-pistachio ice cream. Many Iranians eat these two delicacies on scorching summer days. Faloodeh is the ideal dessert to cap a Persian meal or cool down on a hot summer day!
From whence is Faloodeh?
Since it and Salad Shirazi are from Shiraz, Iran, this historic dessert is called Faloodeh Shirazi. In honor of Hafez and Saadi, Shiraz is termed “the city of poetry and literacy.” Beautiful gardens make it a romantic, bohemian city.
Faloodeh ingredients: vermicelli rice noodles, rose water, limes, salt, water, sugar, sour cherry syrup, and pistachios.
Faloodeh Ingredients
Simple ingredients make this dish great. The following are needed to create Faloodeh:
Made rose-lime syrup with sugar.
To end, lime wedges are served with the syrup.
Rose water: Most of the syrup’s mild, refreshing taste comes from it.
Sea salt enhances tastes.
Rice vermicelli: use white rice vermicelli noodles, not wheat-based ones, for the best taste and texture.
Sour or tart cherry syrup, slivered pistachios, or pomegranate seeds (or all three!) are my serving suggestions.
an o’florale rose water bottle with a pink rose and petals.
Andrea Gralow photography of rose water
Ingredient Highlight
From Mahalabia (Rose Water Milk Pudding) to Persian Love Cake, rose water flavors various Persian sweets. Its delicate, somewhat sweet, and aromatic fragrance makes cuisine light and refreshing. It might be overwhelming, so start slowly and adapt to your liking.
How to get it: Most supermarkets sell it in the baking or foreign section, although quality varies. Our business sells our favorite natural rose water.
Overhead shot shows faloodeh in a dish with cherry syrup, chopped pistachios, and lime wedges. The spoon, two lime wedges, pistachio bowl, and faloodeh bowl are next to it.
Make Faloodeh with 5 simple steps and some hands-on effort, but it takes time. Make it while you’re home for at least 5 hours to scrape the mixture every hour for optimal texture.
Mix Faloodeh
Make rose syrup. Mix 4 1/2 cups water, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir often while it boils, then decrease heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons rosewater and 1 lime juice after removing from heat. After cooling, place the syrup in a freezer-safe dish and freeze uncovered for 30 minutes.A freezer-safe bowl of rose syrup for faloodeh was photographed above.
Cook rice noodles while syrup cools. Water in a medium pot should boil over high heat. Display an ice water dish. Once the saucepan’s water is boiling, add 4 ounces of thin vermicelli rice noodles and cook per the box. Drain and place in icy water to stop cooking and sticking. Drain the noodles again and set them in a bowl after cooling. Cut noodles into 1-inch pieces using kitchen scissors. Set aside.A cutting board with kitchen shears and prepared rice vermicelli. Vermicelli is sliced into little pieces.
Scrape and Freeze
Rose syrup with noodles: Remove syrup from freezer and add noodles. Return uncovered to freezer for 1 hour 30 minutes.An aerial shot shows cooked and cooled vermicelli noodles with rose syrup in a freezer-safe plate with a fork.
Scrape and stir for granita-like texture: Remove the frozen mixture. Scrape the mixture off the edges into the dish and toss it with a fork. This prevents frosty chunks and generates granita-like texture. Refreeze the liquid for 1 hour before scraping and stirring again. Repeat twice more. The frozen syrup and crunchy noodles should make the texture gritty and frosty.An aerial shot shows frozen faloodeh in a freezer-safe plate with an ice cream scoop next to a bowl.
Serve faloodeh: Toss the noodles with a fork and place in small dishes with a lime slice. If desired, top with cherry syrup, pistachio slivers, or pomegranate seeds.
Serving Faloodeh
Faloodeh is a joyous dessert that goes well with many foods, but it’s particularly delightful after a Persian feast of Joojeh Kabob, Shirazi Salad, and Persian Rice.
With a fork, scrape the noodles into individual serving bowls and add a slice of fresh lime. You may also top faloodeh with tart cherry syrup, pistachio slivers, or pomegranate seeds.
You may buy tart or sour cherry syrup online or create it by boiling tart cherries or juice on the stove. Simply add 3/4 cup tart cherry juice to a small sauce pan and boil over medium-low heat until thickened and half-reduced. Before adding faloodeh, let it cool.
A spoonful of faloodeh with cherry syrup, chopped pistachios, and lime wedges in a bowl.
Storage of Faloodeh
Freeze faloodeh for 3 months. 10 minutes before serving, remove from freezer. Before pouring onto serving plates, scrape the mixture to get granita-like texture.
