Mouhalabieh
I have quite an abundant collection of Palestinian cookbooks, which is something I appreciate fondly. Amongst these books there is one cookbook in particular I cook from often and never feel bored. Books with deep narratives keep giving, even if they were published ages ago, because true cookbooks are not confined to what’s in season or what’s trending. They are grounded, solid, and timeless.
There is one cookbook I have inexplicably developed a relationship with — Bethlehem by Fadi Kattan. I felt the sense of place and time and people; cooking from Bethlehem is quite transportive.
There is a warmth and generosity, a quiet familiarity beaming through the writing and photography.
It has been almost two years since the book was published, and I felt ashamed that I hadn’t made a video or shared a recipe on my blog.
Last November, I met Fadi Kattan at the Sharjah International Book Fair during a cooking demo. I was caught in traffic and managed to catch only half of it. I nestled among a few people standing at the back, behind a large crowd.
“You there, come here,” he said, pointing his finger at me across the crowd. With his deep, gravelly voice echoing through the stage, the attendants turned their heads to look at me, which made me startled, but I did join.
He was cooking Mouhalabieh with dates — not just dates, but smoked ones with cloves.
“Open your mouth,” he commanded. And if you don’t know Fadi, that’s his way of enjoying feeding people. For a moment, I couldn’t process the flavors — creamy, licorice-scented milk with deep, sweet, smoky, chewy dates.
The contrast was exploding with flavors I wasn’t prepared for.
It was a moment I remember vividly. So here I am, sharing this recipe from his book, which has been feeding me for quite some time.
Mouhalabieh, or milk pudding, is a creamy, fragrant dessert that transports you with each mouthful to Palestine. The light taste of mastic is ideal for joining the flavours from across the Palestinian terroir. Served chilled, with dates studded with cloves from Gaza, ripe fruit from Bethlehem, or a few candied oranges from Jaffa, mouhalabieh is an ideal dessert for all seasons.
750 ml/ 3⅛ cups whole milk (or substitute almond milk)
120 g/ 1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground mastic
80 g/ ½ cup cornstarch
Medjool dates for serving
Candied orange serving
Finely chopped pistachios, to garnish
SERVES 6 TO 8
Heat about two-thirds of the milk with the sugar and mastic in a pot over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch and the remaining milk in a bowl until smooth. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the pot, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon and making sure the milk doesn’t stick to the bottom.
Once the pudding thickens, remove it from the heat, stir well, and pour into glass serving bowls. Let cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours.
Garnish with the pistachios and serve.
This recipe is shared with the author’s permission. All rights reserved by Hardie Grant North America.