Strawberry Rooh Afza Dalgona
A fusion recipe that’s been stuck in my mind for awhile. It’s a combination of three different drinks — rooh afza milkshake, a ramadan favorite in South Asia, and strawberry milk and dalgona, two viral TikTok drinks from South Korea.
What is Rooh Afza?
Rooh Afza is a concentrated syrup made of flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs. It is sold commercially as a syrup to flavour sherbets, cold milk drinks, ices, and cold desserts such as the popular falooda. Rooh Afza is commonly associated with the month of Ramadan, during which it is usually consumed during iftar, the evening meal when Muslims end their daily fast at sunset. The name Rooh Afza translates to “refresher of the soul".
What is Dalgona?
Dalgona is a coffee based beverage made by whipping equal proportions of instant coffee powder, sugar, and hot water until it becomes creamy and then adding it to cold or hot milk. It was popularized on social media during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when people refraining from going out started making videos of whipping the coffee at home, by hand without using electrical mixers. The name is derived from dalgona - Korean honeycomb toffee, due to the resemblance in taste and appearance, though most dalgona coffee doesn't actually contain this candy.
Recipe | Serving Size: 2
Strawberry Compote - 3 -4 tbsp
Ice Cubes
Milk
Rooh Afza Cream
In a tall glass, scoop the strawberry compote and swirl it up and around the glass to make a pattern. Fill the glass with as much ice as you desire. Pour milk of your choice all the way to the top leaving about 2-3 inches space. Scoop up the Rooh Afza cream. Garnish with a strawberry and enjoy!
How to make Strawberry Compote
Strawberry - 1 cup, chopped
Sugar - 1-2 tbsp
In a small saucepan or butter warmer, combine strawberries and sugar. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Strawberries will release juice and break down without any mashing required. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until sauce thickened, remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
How to make Rooh Afza Cream
Heavy Whipping Cream - 1/2 cup
Rooh Afza - 1 tbsp
In a mixing bowl, add heavy cream and rooh afza. Using a milk frother or a hand mixer on its highest setting, whisk just until stiff peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes.
This is a tiny amount just enough for two people but if you are serving a crowd and own a stand mixer, I definitely recommend using it instead to make the rooh afza cream.
You can buy Rooh Afza from here.
Alternatives to Rooh Afza: Strawberry Syrup, Grenadine
