A spoonful of home: Muhallabia by Adel
Muhallabia is a silky Syrian milk pudding infused with fragrant rose water and topped with crunchy pistachios, almonds and redcurrants. It’s often enjoyed at celebrations and around the family table. Adel, originally from Damascus and now living in the Netherlands, shares his recipe in Koken met Status, a cookbook celebrating dishes from home and the stories behind them. Find Adel’s recipe on our website and serve it chilled in your HAY cup.
Ingrediënts
- 1 liters whole milk
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 75 grams sugar
- 1 teaspoons rose water
- 40 grams pistachios, chopped
- 40 grams almonds, chopped
- 100 grams redcurrants
6 Simple steps
Warm the milkHeat 1 liters whole milk in a saucepan over low heat. Add 75 grams sugar and stir until fully dissolved.
2. Make the slurry: Mix a few tablespoons of the warm milk with 4 tablespoons cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Slowly pour it back into the pan, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
3. Thicken: Simmer gently, whisking continuously, until the pudding thickens and turns creamy.
4. Add rose water: Stir in 1 teaspoons rose water (up to 2 tsp, to taste).
5. Portion and chill: Take off the heat and pour straight into small bowls. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 120 minutes 120:00 until set.
6. Garnish and serve in HAY cup: Just before serving, top with 40 grams pistachios, chopped, 40 grams almonds, chopped and 100 grams red currants.
Adel, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
“I was born and raised in Damascus, Syria. I studied law because I wanted to work for an international humanitarian organization and contribute to world peace. Syria became dangerous in 2011, and in 2015 I fled to the Netherlands. I was due to be conscripted and sent to the front, but I didn’t want to serve the regime. The journey here was long and very dangerous. I’ve now lived here for almost ten years. Recently I visited Syria for the first time, which only became possible after the fall of the Assad regime after 53 years. Before that, I would certainly have been arrested.”