Faloodeh - Dessert with Homemade Rice Noodles
Ingredients: (4 servings)
Rice Noodles:
• 1 cup (200 ml) rice starch (corn flour or starch is a substitute)
• 3 cups water
• a bowl of ice water
Rose Syrup or Sharbat:
• 1 cup water
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup rose water (or a few drops of rose essence)
Directions - making the rose syrup or sharbat:
Place the sugar and water into a pot and bring to a boil. Remove the pot and add the rose-water (or few drops of rose essence) to the mixture. Cool: place in a refrigerator.
Directions - making the faloodeh strands (noodles):
In a small stove-top pot, stir starch into one cup of cold water until dissolved. Stir in remaining water. Place pot over high heat, stirring constantly to keep the starch solution from lumping. When the solution gels, usually after 3-5 minutes, remove from heat.
Set aside for 30 minutes.
Prepare the bowl with ice and ice water and squeeze the starch gel through a cheese cloth cheesecloth over the bowl of cold water. Alternatively, place something with holes such as a steamer insert (not a sieve), over the bowl and push the starch gel through it with a spoon or your hands. Narrow holes will produce delicate vermicelli-like strands. If the water warms add ice. Let the starch sit in the ice water for at least 5 minutes to firm up. Remove the strands using a finely slotted spoon or by pouring through a sieve. The faloodeh strands are now ready.
In a bowl stir the strands into the rose-water syrup or sharbat and place in the freezer for at least 5 hours, or until firm. Occasionally, stir the mixture. The faloodeh/sharbat mixture can be served in a bowl with a wedge of lime or a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Garnishes:
Sour cherry syrup, mint, and pistachios are traditional garnishes. Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or any other fresh fruits are other possible toppings.