Lebanese Sahlab (Creamy Hot Milk Pudding Drink)
A silky, spoonable winter drink: whole milk thickened with cornstarch, scented with rose water, and topped with toasted coconut, pistachios and cinnamon. Ready in about 20 minutes.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Wait
- 2 min
- Total
- 22 min
- Makes
- 4 mugs (about 1 cup / 240 ml each)
Steps
Before you start
- Measure everything first; once the milk is hot, the thickening step moves quickly.
- Use whole milk for the creamiest texture. Lower-fat milk works but gives a thinner, less rich drink.
- Rose water brands vary in strength. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more at the end only if you want a stronger flavor.
- Warm your mugs with hot tap water while you cook so the sahlab stays hot longer.
Toast the coconut
- Place the coconut in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Tip it into a small bowl straight away so it stops cooking.
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Ready when: Most shreds are pale golden at the edges and smell nutty.
Tip: Coconut burns in seconds once it starts to color, so don't walk away.
Chop the pistachios
- Coarsely chop the pistachios into pieces about ⅛ inch (3 mm) across.
- Put them in a separate small bowl next to the coconut and cinnamon so the toppings are ready to go.
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Ready when: Pieces are small and fairly even, with no whole nuts.
Make the slurry
- In a small bowl or jug, whisk the cornstarch and sugar together.
- Pour in ½ cup (120 ml) of the cold milk and whisk for about 30 seconds.
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Ready when: The mixture is completely smooth, with no dry lumps or starch stuck to the bottom.
Tip: Mix the cornstarch with cold milk only. Added directly to hot milk, it clumps.
Heat the milk
- Pour the remaining 3½ cups (840 ml) milk into the saucepan.
- Warm over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then with the whisk.
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Ready when: The milk is steaming and tiny bubbles form at the edge, but it is not boiling.
Tip: Keep the heat at medium. Milk scorches on the bottom of the pan easily.
Whisk in the slurry
- The cornstarch will have settled, so whisk the slurry again.
- Pour it into the hot milk in a steady stream while whisking constantly.
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Ready when: The milk looks evenly cloudy white with no streaks.
Thicken while whisking
- Keep whisking over medium heat, scraping the corners of the pan, for 3 to 4 minutes.
- The milk will go from thin to lightly thick as it approaches a gentle boil.
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Ready when: It coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn through leaves a clear line. A few slow bubbles break the surface.
Tip: Don't stop whisking. Starch thickens fast once it's hot and can form a skin or lumps.
Simmer briefly
- Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 more minute, whisking, to cook out the raw starch taste.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
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Ready when: The texture is like thin custard and no longer tastes floury.
Tip: It thickens more as it cools, so stop while it's still pourable.
Add rose water
- Off the heat, stir in the rose water.
- Taste, and add up to ½ teaspoon more if you want a stronger floral note.
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Ready when: A soft floral aroma rises from the pan.
Tip: Add rose water off the heat. Boiling dulls its fragrance.
Pour and rest
- Divide the sahlab among 4 mugs, about 1 cup (240 ml) each.
- Let it stand for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: The surface is glossy and no longer sloshes thinly.
Top and serve
- Sprinkle each mug with toasted coconut, chopped pistachios and a pinch of cinnamon.
- Serve hot with a spoon.
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Tip: Add the toppings just before serving so the coconut stays crisp.
Good to know
Tips
- For a thicker, more pudding-like sahlab, increase the cornstarch to 4 tablespoons (32 g).
- If lumps form, pour the sahlab through a fine-mesh sieve into the mugs.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan and scrape the corners as you whisk to stop the milk catching on the bottom.
- Raisins, a pinch of ground mastic or a sprinkle of chopped cashews are traditional extra toppings.
Storage & reheating
Best served right away. Cover leftovers with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface (to prevent a skin) and refrigerate up to 2 days. Do not freeze, as the texture turns watery. To reheat, warm gently in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of milk, whisking until smooth and hot. Store toppings separately at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Substitutions
- whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or almond milk. Gives a dairy-free version. It will be slightly less rich, so add 1 extra teaspoon of cornstarch.
- rose water → orange blossom water. Use the same amount, or use ½ teaspoon of each for a classic blend.
- unsalted shelled pistachios → chopped walnuts or toasted almonds. Use the same amount. Toast them lightly for better flavor.
- granulated sugar → honey. Use 2 tablespoons (40 g) and stir it in with the rose water, off the heat.