Authentic Arabic & Levantine Recipes
Muhallabia Recipe (Mahalabia): Silky Middle Eastern Milk Pudding with Mastic & Rose Water
Muhallabia (also spelled mahalabia) is the classic chilled milk pudding of the Levant and Egypt. Whisked together on the stove in just ten minutes from whole milk, cornstarch, sugar and a spoonful of creamy qishta, it is perfumed with crushed Greek mastic tears and Damascene rose or orange blossom water.
Also known as:Muhallabia / Mahalabia with masticLevantine rose water milk puddingChilled Ramadan milk dessert with pistachios
Servings6
Prep time10 min
Cook time10 min
Ingredients
Add all ingredients to cart- 1 litre cold whole milk
- 5 level tbsp (approx. 50 g) cornstarch (or half cornstarch, half fine rice flour)
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 can (170 g) creamy qishta (or 100 ml heavy cream for extra velvety richness)
- 4 small tears of original Greek mastic, pounded to a fine powder in a mortar with 1 tsp sugar
- 1.5 tbsp Damascene rose water or orange blossom water, plus crushed green Aleppo pistachios to garnish
Preparation Steps
- 1Chill the mastic tears in the freezer for 5 minutes so they turn brittle, then crush them in a mortar with 1 tsp sugar into a fine powder.
- 2In a heavy saucepan off the heat, whisk the cornstarch and caster sugar into the cold whole milk until completely dissolved and lump-free.
- 3Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk continuously for 8 minutes, sweeping the bottom of the pan, until the milk comes to a gentle bubble and thickens into a glossy custard.
- 4Lower the heat to minimum, stir in the powdered mastic, qishta cream and Damascene rose water (or orange blossom water), and cook gently for a final 2 minutes until the mastic melts and perfumes the pudding; remove from the heat.
- 5Divide the warm muhallabia among serving bowls or glasses, let cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours; scatter generously with crushed green pistachios right before serving.
