Muhallebi

This easy-to-make dessert is present in almost the entire Mediterranean basin. While the south of it prefers to make it with rice flour or cornstarch, in the north it is preferred with whole grains of rice and it becomes, with its logical differences, the rice pudding that we all know.

More or less in all Arab countries and in Turkey it is called the same but in Cyprus it is the well-known Mahalepí.

There are two variants of it: the one made with rice flour and the one that uses cornstarch as a thickener. The first is the most authentic, while the second is used when you don't have rice flour or are looking for a dessert with a firmer consistency. In the case of using cornstarch it is necessary to use flavorings while in the case of rice flour these can be much softer.

INGREDIENTS (4 people)

• 1 liter (5 cups) of semi-skimmed milk
• 1 cup (200 grams) of sugar
• A little more than half a cup (75 grams) of rice flour or cornstarch
• 1 cinnamon stick or a vanilla pod
• A tablespoon of rose water or orange blossom water (optional)
• Chopped pistachios to decorate
• Mix the sugar and rice flour or cornstarch in a saucepan.

Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly to ensure that the rice flour dissolves completely.

Now we will put the pan on the fire at medium power and with a spoon, wooden spatula or preferably with some rods we will stir continuously until the flour and sugar have dissolved, there are no lumps and the mixture has thickened. We also incorporate the cinnamon stick or the vanilla pod, according to your preferences.

Be very careful that the sugar does not stick to the base of the pan because then it will take on a very unpleasant burnt taste, so do not neglect the heat at any time or stop stirring the mixture. We add if we want the tablespoon of essence of orange blossom or roses.

The result is poured into individual containers and when it cools down it is put in the fridge to drink it very cold. When serving it, some crushed pistachios are placed on the surface as a decoration.

A dessert that you will surely make more than once.

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