Sahlab: what’s this hot Middle Eastern drink that’s perfect for winter?

Looking for an alternative to hot chocolate? Try sahlab, a creamy, comforting dessert drink from the Middle East. With its floral notes, spicy flavours and gourmet toppings, you’re guaranteed to get away from it all… without leaving your sofa! Here, without delay, is the recipe for this ultra-cozy drink.

Where does sahlab come from?

This creamy drink, halfway between a pudding and a dessert, is very popular in Egypt, Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries. It is appreciated for its thick texture and its particular flavour, which comes from orchis flour (orchid tubers). Orchid flour is very rare, and can be replaced by sorghum flour or maize starch (Maïzena).

Sahlab is usually flavoured with rosewater or orange blossom, and garnished with dried fruit: pistachios, hazelnuts or crushed walnuts. Delicious! You can find sahlab in powder form in some oriental grocery shops, to be mixed with milk or hot water. But it’s also very easy to make at home. The proof is in our recipe below.

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How do you make sahlab?

Start by mixing a teaspoon of orchis flour (or a tablespoon of cornflour or sorghum flour) with the equivalent of a cup of cold milk in a small saucepan. Stir with a whisk to dissolve any lumps.

Then add sugar to taste and a tablespoon of rose or orange blossom water. Allow the mixture to thicken over a low heat for a few minutes.

All that’s left is to serve the sahlab in a cup and add a few toppings, such as a pinch of cinnamon and crushed dried fruit. Enjoy it warm under a blanket!

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Karim Al-Mansour

Journalist with a passion for contemporary Arab culture and social change in the Middle East, I now have over 15 years' experience in the media (print and digital). With solid expertise in editorial strategy and storytelling, I'm motivated by the idea of building bridges between cultures through engaging and informative content.

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