Luke Coutinho's Yummy Sugarfree Falooda

Holistic wellness guru Luke Coutinho's Rose Falooda is a wholesome, delicious, dessert to have in the holy month of Ramzan.

Rich in fibre, protein, vitamin E and D, it's best enjoyed on hot afternoons.

The chia seeds can also be replaced with the equally nutritious sabja or sweet basil.

And if rose isn't your top flavour, opt for another taste -- maybe strawberry, vanilla or butterscotch?

Creamy Rose Falooda

Serves: 2

For the chia pudding

• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 4 tbsp water

For the smoothie

• ¾ cup dates, deseeded
• 1 tbsp unsweetened rose syrup, optional
• 3 cups almond milk
• 2 tall falooda or tulip-shaped glasses

For the ice cream

• 3 frozen bananas
• 2 tbsp almond milk

Extra add-ons

• Few frozen blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or if unavailable soaked black raisins
• 2 tbsp rice falooda or vermicelli or rice noodles + ½ cup water
• Locally available seasonal fruits, dried fruits and nuts, chopped 
• Fresh rose petals

Method

• In a bowl, soak the dates in the almond milk till soft.
• Also, in another bowl, soak the chia seeds along with 4 tbsp of water.
  Keep aside.
• In a blender/mixer, blend the softened dates with the almond milk, rose syrup till a smooth puree.
  Transfer into a jug and keep aside.
• Now, blend the frozen bananas with the 2 tbsp almond milk till free of lumps, pour into an ice tray or small moulds and freeze.
• Boil ½ cup water in a saucepan and add the vermicelli/rice noodles.
  As soon as the water begins to boil, take off heat and drain, if the vermicelli is cooked.
  Don't overcook or the vermicelli will be gooey and the strands will stick to each other.
• In 2 tall falooda glasses, pour in the chia pudding.
  Add a layer of chopped fruits of choice.
  Add the frozen berries or the soaked raisins.
  Add the date-almond milk smoothie, followed by the frozen banana ice cream.
  Garnish with the chopped nuts of choice and rose petals.
  Serve.

Note: To reduce the sugar intake of the fruits used, skip the banana ice cream and opt for diabetic-friendly fruit -- dried apricots, apples, pears, kiwi, fresh/frozen/dried berries, dried or fresh cherries and plenty of nuts of all kinds. Also reduce or skip adding the falooda.
Instead of banana ice cream use chunks of sugar-free fruit popsicles like NOTO or some other brand, or even dots of sugar-free ice cream, now readily available.

Not a lover of the rose flavour? Instead of rose syrup, use vanilla custard powder or strawberry flavouring or a few strands kesar or saffron or butterscotch flavouring or a little fresh mango juice/aamras or even chocolate flavouring.

Luke Coutinho is the co-founder of youcarelifestyle.com.

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