Mango Falooda Ice Cream Sundae

The dessert I would like to share came straight out of my imagination. Having drunk falooda (an Indian dessert drink) many times before, I decided that I wanted to shake up this common dessert and make not only a mango version but also a solid version of it. The dish presented here is not only refreshing, but tart, sweet, and delicious. This is a perfect summer treat and I hope you get to try it!

For Tukmeria Seeds:

1 tsp Tukmeria (Sweet Basil) Seeds

3 tbsp Water

For Mango Jelly (Optional):

1/3 cup Mango Pulp

2/3 cup Water

1 tsp Agar Agar Powder

For Assembly:

1-2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream

3/4 cup Mango Pulp

3 tbsp Tukmeria Seeds

1/3 cup Mango Jelly

For Topping:

Pinch of Cardamom

2 tbsp Crushed Pistachios

Tukmeria, or sweet basil seeds can be found at any Indian store near you. Not only do they add a great texture to the dish, but tukmeria seeds are extremely healthy. Tukmeria seeds are packed with minerals and fiber, and can be compared to chia seeds in terms of nutrition.

To use this versatile ingredient, just place one teaspoon of dry seeds into a bowl with 3 tablespoons of water and mix it around a bit. After less than 5 minutes, the seeds should be hydrated and burst in your mouth once you eat them.

This agar agar jelly is incredibly easy to make and yields a very unique-textured jelly that goes well with the sundae. I decided to replace an original ingredient of the falooda, vermicelli, with this jelly because I thought it would give more texture to the sundae and be an original touch to the dish. Nevertheless, this part of the sundae is completely optional and just adds another texture to the bowl.

To make this jelly, first place 1 tsp of agar agar, 1/3 cup of mango pulp, and 2/3 cup of water in a bowl and mix well. After mixing, add this emulsion to a pot and heat on medium heat until it boils. This is to activate the agar agar. Immediately after boiling, pour the emulsion into a bowl or mold and place this in the fridge until it hardens and cools. This is normally 20-30 minutes.

After hardening, unmold your agar agar jelly and cut it into small strips. Then, set it aside for assembly. I used about 1/3 of this amount in my one sundae.

Before assembling the sundae, you must get all of your ingredients together (I learned this the hard way). First, crush two or three cardamom seeds (not pods). Then, crush two to three tablespoons of pistachios to add a crunch to the sundae.

After prepping all of the toppings, scoop the ice cream (one to two cups) into a bowl. Then, add the mango pulp as the main sauce topping. Next, sprinkle the tukmeria seeds, some mango jelly (to your taste), the pistachios, and cardamom on the top.

I hope you enjoy this modern and refreshing twist on a traditional and beloved dish!