Ahh…Sahlab
By Lionel Mann, March 18th, 2007
Canadians will laugh at this, but if you are in the cold months of an Egyptian winter, one of the most popular hot drinks is Sahlab. Sahlab is made from the starch found in the ground bulb of the orchid, Orchis mascula. The starch thickens the milk while giving it a unique flavor. However, it’s difficult to find Sahlab mix outside of Egypt. So here is something close to the original, but using cornstarch as a thickener.
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Sahlab powder or 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons rose or orange-blossom water ( optional )
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios
- Ground cinnamon
Mix the Sahlab powder or cornstarch with a few tablespoons of milk. Bring the remaining milk to a boil. Pour in the starch mixture, stirring vigorously, so that lumps do not form. Cook over very low heat, stirring continuously, until the milk thickens ( about 10 minutes). Then stir in the sugar and the rose water or orange blossom water, if you so desire.
Serve in cups with the chopped pistachios, cinnamon and grated coconut on top as garnish.
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