Ramadan ice cream trail: #13 Iranian ice cream
We bring you 29 ice creams for the 29 days of Ramadan
What you need to know:
- Gulf News is going on an ice cream trail this Ramadan.
- Our thirteenth pick of the month is Iranian faloodeh.
- Be prepared for our list of 29 ice creams for 29 days.
- End your fast and enjoy the Summer months with these sweet and cold treats.
Our 13th pick for the month is the Iranian faloodeh.
#13 Iranian faloodeh with ice cream
What is it?
Faloodeh is a traditional Iranian cold dessert that comprises thick cornflour noodles that are chewy in texture, served soaked in sugar syrup and rose water, along with a scoop of handmade saffron ice cream sorbet. It is refreshing and perfect for the warm months. It is sometimes drizzled with lemon, and pistachios.
History
The Faloodeh originated in Shiraz, a village in Charam rural district, in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province of Iran. The dish is sometimes called Shirazi faloodeh. It is often sold in Iranian ice cream and coffee shops. It is also popular in India and Pakistan. The Mughal rulers in the 16th and 18th centuries of the Indian subcontinent created a cold dessert called falooda, which is a derivative of faloodeh. The dish has many variations and is served differently in each country.
Where to find it?
The Iranian Sweet shop in Deira, Dubai, is 40 years old. It sells dried fruits, traditional Arabic sweets, and it’s famous for its saffron ice cream Iranian faloodeh.
The ownership of the store changed in 2018 and was taken over by Iman Razeghian. He told Gulf News: “This was the first sweet shop in the city. We are older than the French Bakery which was set up in 1997.”
According to him, the recipe of Faloodeh lies between India, Pakistan and Iran. He said: “According to the old recipe, when you put the faloodeh in your mouth it should be crunchy and hard. Otherwise it will feel like rice. The honey and the syrup is refreshing in summer. Here we use Rooh Afza, a popular rose-flavoured syrup, but in Iran we use jam made from berries. The faloodeh can come in different flavours.”
The saffron ice cream is prepared in the shop and the ingredients are sourced naturally.
Information:
Price: Dh7
Place: Iranian Sweets, Deira Dubai (close to Union metro station).
Availability: Iranian faloodeh can be found in most Iranian restaurants in the UAE
Have you tried this? Tell us your experience. And watch this space for the next 28 picks for Ramadan.
Have your own favourites? Tell us on readers@gulfnews.com.