Muhallebi
a traditional savoury milk pudding that became the Levantine's sweet delight...
Muhallebi is the Arabic name given to the traditional 7th century milk pudding, that started life as a savoury dish, when presented to an Arab general by the name of Al-Muhallab ibn Abi Sufra by a Persian cook. Smitten by the taste of this velvety dessert, the general proclaimed that it be called Muhallebi in honour of his discovery.
Recipes for a savoury milk pudding were first found in 13th century cookbooks and often included the addition of mutton or chicken, lamb’s fat and spices such as saffron and cinnamon bark with milk and eggs added to thicken the ground rice, always followed by a touch of syrup added at the end, for sheer decadence. During the late Middle Ages when European cooks introduced the blancmange which coincided with the introduction of rice and almonds from Arab traders, the muhallebi started to be served meatless and replaced with floral notes of rosewater and jasmine extract.
Muhallebi has retained its sweet profile and with a proud heritage has become a popular dessert throughout the Levant and can be found on most menus in both Arabic and Israeli restaurants. The silky smooth milk pudding, with cornflour having replaced the grainy texture of the ground rice, is known across the region as malabi or mahalabiyeh.
It is always served cold and carefully balances the traditional flavours of this ancient milk pudding with harmonious toppings of seasonal fruit purees, rose petal and geranium jams and rose water, saffron or orange blossom jellies, pleasing the tastebuds of the modern palate. Animal milks can be replaced by plant based almond, coconut or soya milk and bay leaves, thyme or cinnamon bark are often added to the milk, infusing additional flavour profiles.
Velvety smooth, refreshingly cool and deliciously creamy, each mouthful conjures up the perfect moment of the old and the new, converging in flavour, texture and colour in both Arab and Jewish kitchens and served as a sweet ending to both fasts and feasts.
This is Nadav Korefend’s recipe for malabi using Havat Rom’s fresh goat’s milk. It is creamy and smooth, not overly sweet with a hint of citrus from the fresh herbs.
makes 6 - 8 portions
ingredients
1 litre of fresh goat’s milk
500 mls double cream
120g sugar
120g cornflour
2-3 sprigs of luisa (lemon verbena), optional
method
place the milk in a saucepan with the cream, sugar & luisa, if using, heat gently on a low heat, stirring occasionally, until just below boiling point & combined
place the cornflour in a bowl, pour half the milk mixture onto the cornflour & stir until smooth, pour the milk back into the pan & return to the heat, stirring continuously until thick, remove from the heat and leave to cool
once cool, sieve into individual glass dishes, to remove any lumps, refrigerate for 1-2 hours
top with fresh mango slices or puree, & plenty of pistachio nuts
Enjoy!