Faloodeh Shirazi

Faloodeh is a frozen dessert made by pressing a starch paste through a sieve into cold water to form thin translucent noodles, then freezing them in a syrup of sugar and rose water, and scraping the result into a bowl so it comes out as a semi-frozen tangle rather than a solid block. It is served with a wedge of lime squeezed over it, which cuts the sweetness and is the part that surprises first-time eaters, and sometimes with sour cherry syrup or pistachio. Shiraz is the place associated with it and the local version is the reference point, sold from dedicated shops that make nothing else and often nothing but faloodeh and ice cream. It is one of the oldest recorded frozen desserts anywhere.

What you actually see

• Starch noodles in frozen syrup - the texture that defines the dish.
• Lime squeezed over the top - the sour edge that makes it work.
• Dedicated faloodeh shops - counters that sell almost nothing else.
• Rose water and sour cherry - the flavourings alongside the syrup.

When to go

Year round, though it is a hot-weather dish and shops are busiest in summer evenings. One hour. Shops near the shrines and in the bazaar area are the long-established ones.

Honest expectations

It is very sweet without the lime, and the texture, somewhere between sorbet and noodles, does not suit everyone. Hygiene varies; choose busy shops with high turnover. Some places sell an industrial version that is much poorer than the handmade one.

Nearby

The Vakil bazaar and the shrine district are where the older shops are.