Stroll down the crowded beaches of Mumbai & a staple that one is bound to encounter is the Kulfi Falooda, a combination of milkshake & sundae with various colors, flavors & textures all combined into a tall chilled glass. <br />This Indian summer dessert is traditionally made with Kulfi (Indian Ice cream) combined with sweet rose syrup and milk. and topped off with a variety of soaked basil seeds (very similar to chia seeds) and arrow root vermicelli. <br /> <br />One of the biggest summertime favorites at home is a variation of this dessert using Pistachio Flavored Ice cream. (with kids, it always seems like the more colorful the sundae, the better!) <br /> <br />The basil seeds in the recipe are referred to as 'tukmaria' and can be found in Indian grocery stores. They're black in color and resemble chia seeds in size and shape. As with chia seeds, when soaked in water, they 'swell' up to form a jelly like covering over the seeds. The covering over the tukmaria however is much firmer & translucent compared to chia, but the crunchy texture of the bite is identical. In a pinch, feel free to substitute with chia seeds. <br /> <br />Mung bean thread noodles from the oriental grocery stores make a fabulous substitute for the arrow root vermicelli. <br /> <br />The ideal instrument to polish this off would be one of those long straws with a spoon at one end. <br />

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