Doodh Dulari (Chilled Milk, Vermicelli & Rose Dessert)
دودھ دلاری
Doodh dulari is a much-loved Pakistani Ramadan dessert, served icy cold after iftar or at sehri. It's milk thickened very lightly with custard powder, then mixed with toasted vermicelli, soaked basil seeds, nuts and chopped fruit, and finished with a swirl of rose syrup. It's somewhere between falooda and sheer khurma, lighter than both, and very forgiving: everything can be made the night before.
- ⏱ Total: 30 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 15 min
- Easy
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Toast the vermicelli in the ghee in a pan for 2–3 minutes until golden.
Add 4½ cups of the milk and the sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until the vermicelli is soft.
Mix the custard powder into the remaining ½ cup cold milk, stir it into the pan and cook for 2 minutes until lightly thickened. It should still pour easily.
Cool, then chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Just before serving, stir in the basil seeds, nuts and fruit.
Spoon into glasses and swirl rose syrup over each one.
Kitchen notes
Keep it pourable. Too much custard powder turns it into a pudding rather than a drinkable dessert.
Add fruit just before serving so it stays fresh.
For extra richness, stir in a few spoons of cream or condensed milk.
A Ramadan favourite
Doodh dulari became popular in Pakistani homes as a cooling dessert for Ramadan, when long, hot fasting days make icy milk drinks especially welcome. It brings together several favourite things, vermicelli from sheer khurma, basil seeds and rose syrup from falooda, and fruit from fruit chaat, in one easy glass.
Light, not heavy
The key is restraint. Only a little custard powder is used, just enough to give the milk body without turning it into a set pudding. It should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still pour into a glass.
Make ahead
Everything except the basil seeds, nuts and fruit can be made the night before and chilled, which makes it ideal for iftar. Our Ramadan grocery list and iftar menu planner include it.
Serving
Serve in tall glasses, icy cold, with a swirl of rose syrup and extra pistachios on top.
Questions people ask
What can I use instead of Rooh Afza?
Any rose syrup, grenadine, or rose water with a little sugar and a drop of red colour. Outside South Asia, rose syrup is sold in Middle Eastern shops.
How is it different from falooda?
Falooda has falooda noodles and is usually topped with ice cream. Doodh dulari uses vermicelli and a little custard and is lighter.
Can I make it ahead for iftar?
Yes. Make the milk base the night before and add basil seeds, nuts and fruit just before iftar.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 260
- Protein
- 8 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
