Sunday, September 19, 2010

Muhallabia

This is the lovely dessert from my Meatless Monday Menu.

It is a milk pudding made with rice flour and almonds and scented with rose water. I knew it first at the wonderful Turkish restaurant that flourished in Bendigo when I lived there in the 80's and 90's. We went there often and this was always my dessert.

I found a recipe some years ago, (Tess Mallos, Middle Eastern Home cooking, she found it in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan) but I have only now managed to make it.
I changed her recipe to strain out the almond meal, which gives the smooth beautiful texture of the dessert I remember.

Traditionally served with pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top, I found it goes beautifully with raspberries and would work with many other fruits.

MUHALLABIA
3 cups milk
3/4 cup ground almonds
Mix and bring gently to the boil. Leave to cool a little and squeeze out as much liquid as you can through muslin.
Bring the milk back to heat and add:
1/4 cup of rice flour blended with 1/4 cup of milk
a pinch of salt
1/4 cup castor sugar
Stir over a medium heat until bubbling gently. Let it cook for a few minutes. Keep stirring so it doesn't stick.
Remove from heat.
Stir in 1 tbsp of rosewater.

Pour into a bowl or bowls. I wet the little bowls so that it could tip out, (that is how it was served in my Turkish Restaurant) but it works fine to serve it set in bowls or spooned out from a large one. Let it get cold in the fridge before you serve it though! It is so delicate and delicious! Enjoy!

16 comments:

  1. Looks delicious! Always so many great ideas here. Have a great week Joy :)

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  2. Scrumptious!!!
    We have here such a kind of rice pudding but this one looks really delicious as the rosewater makes the whole difference ;)

    Have a blessed week, dear Joy !

    xxx

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  3. What an unusual dessert. I think that I will like it because smooth puddings are my favourite! I am having a meatless meal tonight - pasta bake!
    Lucy xx

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  4. Gorgeous dessert, the recipe sounds delicious and the name is fun to say! :)

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  5. it looks soooo delicious! i love the piture as well :)
    have a sweet day,
    justyna

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  6. That looks delightful! A lovely pudding.

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  7. What an interesting dessert, the colour is sublime!

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  8. This looks delicious and sounds interesting! I would love to try it!

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  9. Looks simple and yummy. I'm back to the blog world! Hi Mama Joy :)

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  10. what a great blog!
    here is so many inspirations,

    have a nice time,
    Paula

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  11. Hi Joy! I hope you're doing ok. :)

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  12. Hi, Joy,
    I have missed you. I hope that all is well in your family. -Tien :)

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  13. Miss your post too Mama Joy. Hope to hear from you soon. And hope all is with you as well :)

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  14. Hi Joy. How are you? I hope all is well. I haven't seen any posts from you lately. I just want to let you know that I presented an award for you on my blog. I hope you kindly receive it. Thank you for all the support form the beginning. :)
    Have a great weekend. Michael

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