.jpg) Muhallebi decorated with pistachios and rose petals | |
| Course | Pudding |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Sasanian Empire[1] |
| Region or state | Middle East |
| Serving temperature | Cold |
| Main ingredients | Rice flour,milk oralmond milk,sugar, starch or semolina |
Muhallebi (Persian:مهلبی orمحالبی;Arabic:مهلبية;Hebrew:מלבי) is a milkpudding commonly made with rice, sugar, milk and either rice flour, starch or semolina,[2] popular as adessert in theMiddle East. While the dessert is called muhallebi inIran,Iraq andSyria, in other countries in the region (Turkey,Lebanon,Jordan,Egypt,Palestine, andIsrael) it is calledmalabi,mahalabiyeh ormehalabiya.
Muhallebi likely dates back to Sasanian Persia and according to a legend, it was introduced intoArab cuisine in the late seventh century by aPersian (Iranian) cook from what was then theSasanian Empire (224–651),[1] who served it to an Arab general by the name ofAl-Muhallab ibn Abi Sufra. He liked it so much, he named it after himself. The earliest recipes, dating to the 10th century, featured three versions:milk thickened with ground rice, milk with rice grains and chicken, and an egg custard without rice.[1] Early recipes formuhallabiyya include a work attributed toIbn Sayyar al-Warraq of Baghdad[3] and two 13th-century Arab cookbooks, one by al-Baghdadi and another fromAl Andalus that have a spiced pudding variation made withmutton instead of chicken.[1][3]
In theMiddle Ages,muhallebi and its European counterpartblancmange were made with shredded chicken. There are records from theOttoman Empire for two versions ofmuhallebi: a version with shredded chicken (tavuk göğsü) served during the reign ofMehmed the Conqueror, and a later recipe dating to 1530 for a meatless version flavored withrose water.[1]
One 19th-century, English cookbook that gives a recipe formuhallebi calls it "Ramazan cakes". The recipe calls for boiling milk together withrice flour and sugar until the mixture reduces. The pudding is flavored with rose or jasmine extract, and allowed to cool before it is sprinkled with powdered sugar.[1]
In the modern era the traditionaltavuk göğsü is no longer widely available, except inTurkey. This pudding does not taste like chicken but the shredded meat gives it a distinctive texture.George Coleman De Kay said the pudding "owes its peculiar excellent flavour to the presence of the breasts of very young chickens, which are by some means so intimately blended and incorporated with the custard as to be scarcely distinguishable".[1][4]Kazandibi is the variation of classictavuk göğsü where a thin layer of pudding is caramelized before the custard is poured over it and allowed to set. The finished pudding is served upside down with the caramelized side on top.[1] Also available at themuhallebici shops ofIstanbul are the almond basedkeşkül,Noah's Pudding, and baked rice pudding called "fırın sütlaç" or "fırında sütlaç".[5]
InSyria, there is a variation ofمحلاية ("mahalayeh") calledبالوظة ("balouza") that is the classic milk pudding but with a layer of orange jelly on top. Other flavours of the jelly layer can be used, like rose syrup.[6][7]Mahalayeh sold in restaurants in Syria is always served with three striped toppings of slivered almonds, cream, sliced pistachios, and amaraschino cherry. The famousbooza shop,Bakdash, inDamascus, servesmahalayeh as well asbooza.
InLebanon, versions ofbalouza that are flavored withorange blossom water are served in restaurants.[8]
InPalestine, variations of muhallabia andbalouza can be found inHebron, they are made with pasteurized milk, starch, and are topped withqatir.[9][10] In theGaza Strip, pudding layers flavored withsour plum jam or orange juice are added to it, like aparfait.[11]
InIsrael, in order to avoid violatingKashrut (Jewish dietary laws), variations ofmalabi (Hebrew:מלבי) use almond milk instead of regular milk, especially when offered in conjunction with meat dishes.
InCyprus,muhallebi is called "μαχαλλεπί (Greek pronunciation:[maxalːeˈpi] inCypriot Greek)" and it can also be found in a non-dairy version alongside the version that contains milk (μαχαλλεπίν του γαλάτου;[maxalːeˈpinduɣaˈlatu]). The Cypriot non-dairymuhallebi is made from water, sugar, cornstarch, androse water, which is optional. When themuhallebi is set,Cypriots addrose squash/cordial/syrup called "triantafyllo" (τριαντάφυλλο) on top of it.
InEgypt, variations ofbalouza made from milk and starch are traditionally made duringRamadan, it is prepared in a large batch and then cut into small pieces and served with toppings like honey.[12][13]
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Mastic is a popular flavoring formuhallebi.[14] Qamar al-Din is another popular flavouring, especially during Ramadan in theLevant,[15] as well asEgypt.[16][17]
Knafeh pastry (kadayif) is apopular topping for muhallebi.[18][19][20]
In someSephardic Jewish homes,malabi, made of milk, cream, starch and sugar and flavoured with either distilledrosewater ororange flower water, is served to break the fast on the Jewish holiday ofYom Kippur. It is also eaten at Turkish Jewish weddings to symbolize the sweet life that lies ahead. Sephardim serve it on the festival ofShavuot when it is customary to eat dairy food, but according to food historian Gil Marks, the real reason is that the holiday is known in this community as the "feast of roses" and the dessert has a distinct rosy aroma.[21]
Muhallebi is used as a component of many traditional style desserts.
Selanik tatlısı, attributed to the kitchens of historicSalonica, is made by thickening a basic stovetop muhallebi with eggs and baking it with a sweetenedshortcrust pastry. The dessert is soaked in simple syrup before serving.[22] Also hailing from historic Salonica ismuhallebibaklava (similar to the Greekgalaktoboureko).[23]
Tamriyeh [ar] is a Palestinian dessert from the city ofNablus, made from a filling ofbalouza (semolina pudding flavored with rose water) which is then wrapped in a thin sheet of dough, and then fried and topped with powdered sugar and nuts.[24][25]
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