Mahalebi is a simple Cypriot milk-based pudding made with water, milk, sugar and corn flour. It is usually served chilled with a compliment of rose water, rose cordial syrup, or rose-flavoured ice cream and street vendors of old used to sell it all over the island during the hot summer months. They would place the pudding in half-empty condensed milk tins which were then cooled on ice blocks in their carts. They would then flip the pudding onto a plate and pour diluted rose cordial syrup along with a little sugar over the pudding.
HOW TO MAKE MAHALEBI
Ingredients:
1/2 a cup of corn flour
1/4 cup of water
4 cups of milk
1/2 a cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of rose water
Instructions:
Mix the corn flour and water into a bowl, forming a smooth paste.
Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer.
Slowly whisk in the cornflour mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
Add the sugar and continue to cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.
Remove the pudding from the heat and stir in the rose water.
Pour the pudding into individual serving dishes or a large serving bowl.
Let the pudding cool to room temperature, then chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
