Faloodeh facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Faludeh, paloodeh, paludeh, fālūdhaj |
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| Type | Dessert |
| Course | Lunch & Dinner |
| Place of origin | Shiraz,  Iran |
| Main ingredients | Vermicelli, syrup (sugar, rose water) |
Faloodeh (say fah-loo-deh) or paloodeh (say pah-loo-deh) is a yummy, cold dessert from Iran. It's a bit like a sorbet, which is a frozen fruit dessert. Faloodeh is special because it has thin, noodle-like strands made from starch. These noodles are mixed into a sweet, icy syrup that tastes like rose water. People often enjoy Faloodeh with a squeeze of lime juice and sometimes a sprinkle of crushed pistachios.
In Iran, you can find Faloodeh in many ice cream shops and coffee places. It comes in different flavors like pistachio, saffron, rosewater, and honey. Sometimes, it's served with bastani sonnati, which is a traditional Iranian ice cream. The most famous kind is Faloodeh Shirazi, which comes from the city of Shiraz.
The Story of Faloodeh
The word paloodeh comes from an old Persian verb, paloodan. This verb means "to refine" or "to filter."
After the Arab conquest of Iran many centuries ago, the Arabic language became more common. The Arabic language doesn't have the "p" sound that Persian has. So, paloodeh slowly changed to faloodeh. In old Arabic books from the Middle Ages, this dessert was known as Faloothaj.
Later, between the 16th and 18th centuries, the Mughal Empire ruled parts of South Asia. The Mughal kings were influenced by Persian culture. They created a cold drink called falooda, which was inspired by the Iranian Faloodeh.
How Faloodeh is Made
Making Faloodeh is a cool process! First, a thin mixture (like a runny dough) is made from starch. This starch can come from potatoes, arrowroot, corn, or rice.
This mixture is cooked until it's ready. Then, it's pushed through a special sieve. This makes delicate, thin strings that look a bit like clear noodles. These strings are quickly chilled in ice water to keep them firm.
Finally, these noodle-like strands are mixed with the sweet syrup. The whole mixture is then cooled very fast until it's at least half-frozen. This gives Faloodeh its unique icy and chewy texture.
See also
In Spanish: Faloodeh para niños
