Mahalepi / Μαχαλεπί
Mahalepi is like marmite, you either love it or hate it! It’s an old fashioned Cypriot summer pudding which is refreshing to eat on those hot evenings while sitting outside enjoying the jasmine-scented breeze.
This soft white cornflour jelly is made with just water and Νησιάστε/Nishiaste (maize powder starch) corn starch, but cornflour is fine to use. Usually no sugar is added when making the pudding, but it is sprinkled when served together with rose cordial (triantafillo) and ice water, or even some Τριαντάφυλλο παγωτό (rose ice-cream).
Mahalepi can also be made with milk – known as Lebanese mahalepi – which is topped with chopped nuts or glyka.
Ingredients (serves 6):
To each 1 cup (250ml) of water, you add one tablespoon of cornflour
6 heaped tbsp cornflour/Νησιαστε
For serving:
Rose-cordial
Sugar
Iced water
Rosewater ice-cream, optional
Method:
Place 5 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Dissolve the cornflour in the remaining cup of water and add it to the boiling water on a low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until it thickens like a custard.
Pour into 6 bowls (wet them first) or glasses, half filling them; they should be about 2cm thick, set aside to cool and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
To keep them fresh for longer, remove the Mahalepi from the bowls and place them in a plastic container filled with cold water and cover with a lid.
To serve, cut into cubes and add 1 tablespoon of rose-cordial, iced water and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar or as much as you like. I like to decorate with pink rose-petals and triantafillo ice-cream.
