Alouda: The ultimate drink

From North to South, from East to West… This drink made mainly from milk is sold everywhere! In the food courts of the markets, in the streets as well as in supermarkets. Alouda, a drink of Mauritian origin but inspired by its Asian cousin, falooda. It is a drink that is drunk cold but which warms the hearts of all Mauritians without exception. Alouda is to Mauritius what tequila is to Mexico or wine to France. There is no doubt that alouda can seduce a person in one sip. From generation to generation, from culture to culture, alouda is today a drink that has attracted and evolved through time.

Cliché or not, this is the most traditional drink on the island. 

From the youngest to the oldest, they are all very fond of it. So refreshing, it is the ultimate drink for a hot summer day! The most famous ones are sold at the central market in Port Louis. And they are so deliciously creamy, topped with a dollop of ice cream. No one can say no to this heavenly drink, and the best part is that you can get them in different colours! 

Alouda is inspired by the famous Indian drink "Falooda", a delicious drink flavoured with rose syrup. The key ingredients are basil seeds (or tookmaria), vermicelli (also called falooda sev), sweetened milk and ice cream. Both are cold drinks and can be adapted to your taste. For a more refreshing taste, you can add a puree or a few mint leaves. For a bit of crunch, you can add a few pieces of pistachios.

The ingredients for a good fresh alouda:

2 tablespoons basil seeds
1 cup agar agar (in chopped strips)
1 litre cold milk
500 ml water
Crushed ice
Vanilla essence
Almond essence
Sugar
Food colouring

Recipe and preparation of Alouda:

To be done the day before:

1. Place the glasses in which you are going to serve your alouda in the refrigerator. 
2. Remove the impurities from the basil seeds. 
3. Put the seeds in water to soak overnight, or simply plunge them into very hot, almost boiling water and let them simmer until the seeds have swollen and become soft.
4. Cut the agar-agar into small 15 mm long sticks, like vermicelli. Plunge them into fairly hot water until they become soft. 

Be careful; do not leave them in hot water for too long, they may melt. If this happens to you, don't stress! Use the gelatin method as follows: put a few layers of gelatin in a large container with a little water (enough to cover the gelatin sheets). Leave to cook over a low heat until the gelatine melts, then leave to cool. Once the mixture has solidified, simply grate it as if you were grating a carrot!

Essential to do the Alouda the same day:

Add sugar to the milk to taste. Fill the glasses that you have kept chilled up to 2/3 with the sweetened milk. For the flavour, add 2 drops of vanilla or almond essence. Then add 2 drops of food colouring (usually yellow or red) to each glass. Mix well.

 You can now add 1 tablespoon of tookmaria (swollen basil seeds), and 1 tablespoon of agar-agar/edible gelatine. Mix well again.

Ajouter de la glace pilée sur le dessus et une boule de glace.Add crushed ice on top and a scoop of ice cream.Ajouter de la glace pilée sur le dessus et une boule de glace.