Recipe Muhalbiyah with rosewater (milk pudding)

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I was looking through various recipes when I came across this one and it took my fancy. It does not matter that I can't have it as it stands, it just looks really good.

Serve, in 4-6 glasses

INGREDIENTS

• 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) full-cream (whole) milk
• 80g (2¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
• 70g (2½ oz) cornflour (cornstarch)
• 2 tablespoons rosewater
• 100g (3½ oz/¾ cup) pistachio nut kernels, toasted and coarsely chopped, to serve
• fresh raspberries, to serve

For the sauce

• 300g (10½ oz) fresh or frozen raspberries
• 50g (1¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 tablespoon rosewater

Method

1. Put the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium – low heat and bring to the boil.
2. Meanwhile, put the cornflour in a small bowl and add a few tablespoons of water, stirring until you have a gluggy wet mixture.
3. Slowly add the cornflour to the hot milk, stirring with a wooden spoon, and reduce the temperature to low.
4. Continue stirring for 8–10 minutes, or until the mixture has the consistency of a thick custard.
5. Add the rosewater, stir and remove from the heat.
6. Pour the mixture into 4–6 serving glasses and allow to cool to room temperature.
7. Transfer to the fridge and set overnight.

To make the sauce,

1. put the raspberries and sugar in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth.
2. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds.
3. Put the liquid in a small saucepan over low heat and bring to the boil.
4. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from the heat.
5. Add the rosewater, stir and allow to cool.
6. When you are ready to serve, pour the sauce over the puddings and scatter with the pistachios and raspberries.

Recipe by Michael Rantissi (taken from the Telegraph www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/recipes/muhalbiyah-with-rosewater-milk-pudding/)

 

[Morning Glory]

You know, this is really a simple cornflour based custard (like Bird's custard) except that instead of vanilla, its flavoured with rose water. You could easily substitute almond milk for the whole milk to make a vegan version. I actually love basic Bird's style custards and old fashioned blancmanges. The latter is just a firmer set using more cornflour. This one is very pretty.

I make something like this using Kewra water , which can be obtained in Asian grocers. It has a fragrant pungency similar to rosewater. I top the 'Asian' version with pureed mango and a drizzle of mint coulis. Might sound an odd combination, but it works for me. Its something I've served at dinner parties after a curry. I've no idea if its authentically Indian!