So Hot They’re Cool:Icy Indian recipes,Part 2

KO Rasoi’s paan ice cream

Just as there’s more to Indian cuisine than curry, kulfi is not the only frozen Desi delicacy. Dense’n’decadent kulfi may claim the crown, but to call it ‘king’ would be to ignore a right royal spectrum of spiced ices that are every bit as nice. Vivek Singh concurs, currently singing their praises with a menu of supercool treats at his Cinnamon Parlour pop-up.

Do you have fond memories of those long, skinny ‘Mr. Freeze’ ice poles, and their shorter, stockier counterparts, ‘Icebergs’? Did you love their lurid colours and relish the strange sensation of the strong flavours stinging your tongue? Then you will gollup India’s ice golas up by the buckletload.

If Britain is classically a cone of Cornish vanilla, then India is a sundae of every flavour, piled high with every possible topping. Flavours incorporate seasonal fruits and spices of the subcontinent. Ices are made from much-loved items like paan, chai and myriad mithai varieties.

Next time the ice cream van comes a’calling, don’t splash your cash on something to lick from a wooden stick – save your lolly and make your own popsicles by pouring a spiced fruit puree or a luscious lassi mixture into moulds. Can’t wait for it to freeze? Serve it slushy’n’semi-freddo.

It’s a rare ice-cream fiend who doesn’t get his knickers in a twist over the majesty of a Knickerbocker Glory. Falooda is every bit a feast for the senses in every sense – perfumed, pretty in pink, and most palatable.

The combination of soaked, slippery basil seeds, milk, rose syrup and long strands of rice vermicelli sounds like a culinary car crash, but once you’ve road tested the recipe, you’ll fall for it fast. Ice cream is ostensibly optional, but we all know it’s non-negotiable.

As Joey told Ross in the pilot episode of Friends, so many moons ago; ‘There are lots of flavours out there. Grab a spoon!’

You heard the man…

Indian-inspired ice creams

KO Rasoi’s paan ice cream

Whether you’re feeling fruity or summer or just want more va va voom than vanilla, these incredible ices will spice up your summer.

• Allspice ice cream from The Incredible Spicemen
• Saffron & cardamom ice cream from Box of Stolen Socks
• Rose, cardamom & pistachio ice cream from Cook in a Curry
• Gulkand ice cream from Indian Simmer
• Pomegranate gulkand ice cream from Veg Recipes of India
• Dried apricot & pistachio ice cream from My Diverse Kitchen
• Spiced peach & honey gelato from My Diverse Kitchen
• Banana chai ice cream from Vegan Richa
• Pineapple ice cream from My Zesty Kitchen
• Chikoo ice cream from Awesome Cuisine
• Custard apple ice cream from Awesome Cuisine
• Custard apple ice cream from Veg Recipes of India
• Custard apple ice cream from Hilda’s Touch of Spice
• Young coconut ice cream from One Hot Stove
• Coconut ice cream from My Diverse Kitchen
• Paan ice cream from KO Rasoi
• Lagan Nu Custard ice cream from Bawi Bride
• Ice cream rasmalai with blueberry sauce from Ishita Unblogged
• Rusk ice cream from Awesome Cuisine
• Pandan ice cream from Cosmopolitan Currymania

If you lick it then you shoulda stuck a stick in it

Cosmopolitan Currymania’s Grilled green mango popsicle

A small selection of perfectly portioned, portable sweets to eat to beat the heat.

• Chai popsicles from Nisha Vedi Pawar for Masala Mommas
• Saffron yogurt spicecream lollies from All The Things I Eat
• Monica Bhide’s Pina colada ice pops from Pickles & Tea
• Blueberry, pistachio & coconut ice lollies with cardamom from Deena Kakaya
• Mango lassi creamsicles from The Tiffin Box
• Grilled green mango popsicles from Cosmopolitan Currymania
• Watermelon popsicles from Padhu’s Kitchen
• Plum pomegranate popsicles from Hilda’s Touch of Spice

Freeze! Fro-yo, frozen lassis, sorbets & fruity beauties

Deena Kakaya’s Lychee and toasted coconut froyo

If you’re bothered about achieving a buff bikini body, make like a penguin and p-p-pick up one of these trim treats.

• Lychee & toasted coconut frozen yogurt with rose & cardamom from Deena Kakaya
• Chikoo frozen yogurt from My Kitchen Experiments
• Frozen mango lassi and frozen melon lassi from Hari Ghotra
• Iced Spiced Lassi from Gannet & Parrot
• White chocolate saffron cardamom sorbet with candied walnuts from How To Cook Good Food
• Shikanji – Indian lime sorbet – from Indian Simmer
• Mango-basil sorbet from Sinfully Spicy
• Frozen aam panna  from Ishita Unblogged
• VIDEO – The history of mango mastani from Chowder Singh

 High-falutin’ Falooda

Veg Recipes of India’s Falooda

Ah, falooda. That fulsome semi-beverage boasting bells, whistles and quite possibly more besides. If you’re a fan of fanfare, dive in…

• Falooda from Veg Recipes of India
• Falooda from Recipes by Rownak
• Kulfi falooda from Indian Simmer
• Kulfi falooda from Veg Recipe of India
• Mango kulfi falooda from Sinfully Spicy
• Pista kulfi falooda from Hilda’s Touch of Spice
• Royal ice cream falooda from Hilda’s Touch of Spice

Ice Ice Gola

Think of ice gola as the ultimate slush puppy. And if you’ve thought about it too much, the icy brain freeze it provides will be most welcome.

• Ice gola from Mom to Chef
• Ice gola from Instuctables
• Ice gola from Su’s Recipes
• Blackberry kala khatta ice gola from Spice Roots

Need to cool down in London town?

Check out the kala khatta ice gola at Dishoom – a sweet-sour sensation created with kokum,
blueberries, chilli, lime, white and black salt;  and the Cinnamon Parlour pop-up at Cinnamon Kitchen, where you can get your gola licked with hard liquor.

Or  flee to ‘London-by-Sea’ for a summer sojourn in Brighton, where Boho Gelato is on offer at the Curry Leaf Cafe. Choose from beet and cardamom ice cream, mango pistachio ice cream, and coconut lime sorbet.

• Still space in the freezer? I’ve also collated some cracking kulfi recipe here.