RECETTES
Orange Blossom Flan – Mehallabieh
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 50 g caster sugar
- 500 ml (50 cl) whole milk
- 35 g cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp orange blossom water
- 1 tbsp finely chopped pistachios
- Ground cinnamon (to decorate)
Instructions
- Pour 100 ml of the milk into a small bowl and gently whisk in the cornflour until completely smooth. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, heat the remaining milk over medium heat and stir in the sugar. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Reduce the heat, add the cornflour mixture and bring back to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. The mixture should thicken into a smooth, creamy custard. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the orange blossom water.
- Pour into individual serving dishes. Decorate with a dusting of cinnamon and the finely chopped pistachios.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
الطيبة! (Shahyya tayyiba — Bon appétit in Arabic!) 🌸🇱🇧
Tip: This delicate Lebanese milk pudding is also wonderful with a drizzle of rose syrup or a few dried rose petals for a beautiful presentation.
Semolina Salad – Tabbouleh
This recipe comes from my mother. It’s not an exact replica of traditional Lebanese tabbouleh, but I find it wonderfully fresh and satisfying — especially on warm summer days. The secret is using very good quality, very fresh ingredients.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 250 g medium-grain semolina (couscous)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 firm ripe tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- A generous bunch of flat-leaf parsley
- Fresh mint
- A handful of golden raisins (sultanas)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place the semolina in a pan brushed with olive oil, cover with boiling water and put the lid on. Let the semolina absorb all the water. Alternative: cook the semolina with lemon juice instead of water for extra brightness — try both and see which you prefer!
- Once cooked, drizzle a little olive oil over the semolina and use a fork to separate the grains. Transfer to a large serving bowl.
- If your raisins are a bit dry, soak them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to plump them up.
- Dice the tomatoes and cucumber into small cubes.
- Finely chop the parsley and mint (place them in a glass and snip with scissors directly into the glass — much easier!).
- Add the tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint and drained raisins to the semolina bowl.
- Drizzle generously with olive oil, add a squeeze more lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving — it tastes even better cold!
Sahtein! 🌿🇱🇧 (Bon appétit in Arabic!)