Quick and Simple Recipe for Sahlab, a Palestinian sweet pudding

Sahlab is an indulgent and irresistible dessert / pudding / drink packed with aromatic spices that will leave you wanting more. This milk pudding is commonly served warm and can be flavored with rose water, orange blossom, nutmeg, cloves, and much more!

You can add extra toppings to give your sahlab a distinct flavor, with nuts, pistachios, cardamom, cinnamon, and even coconut.

This thick drink is commonly made with sahlab powder, which comes from the flour of orchid tubers (today most people use corn starch, thank goodness, because the orchid should be protected). When the powder is mixed with milk, it creates the delicious milk pudding we know and love.

This drink was hugely popularized during the Ottoman Empire, and has remained as a delicious staple since then!

Here’s what you’ll need to make your very own sahlab: 

• 4 cups of milk
• 1 packet of sahlab powder
• 1-2 tbsp sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)

Instructions:

1. Warm the milk in a pot over medium heat.
2. Add the sahlab powder and sugar to the milk, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil.
3. Remove from the heat. At this point, you can add in flavors like rose water, orange blossom, cardamom, and other options if you like.
4. Leave the mixture to set and slightly cool.
5. Divide the mixture into mugs, add your preferred toppings, and enjoy warm!

In Palestine you can get single serving packets, which you just mix with water and add to it the topping of your choice. We've included 4 packets in our Ramadan  Iftar boxes. So go on and grab some sahlab mix to make your own drink from our Ramadan gift box!

To explore more of the treats found around Palestine, check out our post about the 6 must-try sweets from Nablus!