Mahalabia Recipe | Muhallebi {Middle Eastern Milk Pudding}

Mahalabia, also known as Muhallebi, Muhalabia, Mahalebi, Mohallabiah, or Muhallabiyeh is a traditional Middle Eastern pudding made with milk, rice flour, sugar, and flavored with rose or orange blossom water. Looking for different dessert ideas? Then you will definitely enjoy this easy pudding recipe!

Course Desserts

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword Mahalabia Pudding, Mahalabia Recipe, Muhalabia

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings people

Ingredients

3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
6 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour or rice flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar, adjust as per desired sweetness
1 tsp rose water/orange blossom water, or 1/4 tsp rose extract
3 green cardamom pods

For garnishing

2 tbsp coarsely chopped pistachios
3 tbsp rose syrup, diluted with 2 tbsp water
dried rose petals, optional

Instructions

Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods, transfer to a mortar and pestle. Pound them to a fine powder and set aside.
Add milk in a heavy-bottomed pan, add cream, followed with cornstarch, and sugar. Using a wire whisk, whisk the mixture very well. Make sure the cornstarch is not settled at the bottom of the pot {You may mix the cornstarch with about 1/2 cup of milk and then add the cornstarch slurry to the milk mixture too, but it doesn't make much of a difference if you use a wire whisk to mix up everything}. Then, switch on the flame to medium heat.
Cook the mahalabia pudding mix on medium heat, while continuously whisking the milk mixture until it begins to thicken, like a custard. This will take around 8-10 minutes. Do not stop whisking, or else the cornstarch will settle at the bottom and burn, or the mixture may turn clumpy. Continuous whisking until thickened is the only important step you need to follow while making this pudding.
As you continue whisking, you will see the mixture thickening up. Reduce the heat to low, and continue whisking. When it coats the back of a spoon, it is done.
Remove the pot off the heat, add the flavorings like rose or orange blossom water and freshly crushed ground cardamom (if using). Set aside to cool down for about 5 minutes.
Pour the mahalabia mixture into desired serving glasses or bowls, or one big bowl. I added some ground pistachios at the bottom of each glass, which is totally optional. Cover the glasses with a cling wrap or aluminum foil, chill in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours or overnight for best results. Garnish this delicious Middle Eastern milk pudding with rose syrup and chopped pistachios.

Notes

You may skip the heavy cream and add milk instead. I recommend adding the cream, because the dessert sets beautifully, almost like a pannacotta, and the taste is nice and creamy. If you set it in small round bowls or molds, you can easily invert it and serve it like a jelly sort of dessert!

Mahalabia with condensed milk: Replace the cream with condensed milk and omit the sugar.

If you can't find rose syrup or orange blossom water, you may flavor mahalabia with 2 tsp orange zest or vanilla extract. You can also play around with other warm spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.

Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml