The Pink Drink

This is by far one of my favourite drinks to make at the restaurant for many, many reasons. I enjoy it primarily because we don't make cocktails and so this is the only way I get to engage in the mechanics of mixed drink making. Secondly, it's pink. Shockingly so. While I'm not the kind of girl who is all about the pinkness of things in life, this is just so terribly, ludicrously colored that it makes me laugh. That, and it reminds me of summer because at the peak of summer I often make 20 or so of these a day.

As with the smoothie in the previous post I feel a bit silly giving you instructions as to how this drink is made. You will however need a handful of ingredients that I don't think most of you have stocked in your pantry. These are however relatively simple things to find, especially in your neighbourhood east Indian grocery store. However, should you live in an especially remote area, i am relatively certain you can mail order all of the following products, and should that prove impossible, I would be happy to mail them to you.

1. Rose Syrup. This is the pink, viscous, sweet and wonderfully floral syrup that gives this beverage is charactertistic color, flavour and aroma. While you can waffle about with the other ingredients, without this one, you're making a different drink entirely.

2.Faluda or glass noodles. These are generally available in most asian grocery stores. The only difference in preparation is that instead of cooking these in boiling salted water they are gently simmered in a lightly sweetened syrup and then refrigerated in the syrup to maintain pliability.

3. Basil seeds, or tukmaria. These little black seeds are larger than poppy seeds and sometimes confused for nigella/black onion seed. The beauty of these is that a quick soak in cold water results in a gelatinous bloom forming around the seed. These are stored in their cold soaking liquid and for some reason do not germinate while in this state. You can leave these out but they add a wonderful textural note with the slight slipperiness of the exterior and the crunch of the seed coat.

The Royal Faluda ( a.k.a. The Pink Drink)

Ingredients:
5 or 6 ice cubes
1 oz of cooked faluda noodles
1 tsp of tukmaria seeds, soaked
2 oz of rose syrup
8 oz of milk ( I like 2% here)
1 scoop of vanilla ice cream

Process:
1. In an 11 oz glass begin by layering the ice, noodles and basil seeds in the bottom.
2. Coat the sides of the glass with 1.5oz of the rose syrup. This is easiest with a squeeze bottle, gently poured against the side of the glass.
3. Pour in the milk and stir until a uniform colour is achieved.
4. Top with the vanilla ice cream and the remaining syrup.
5. Serve with a straw and long handled spoon.