SAHLAB- A DRINK OF HEAVENLY TASTE

Motzei Shabbat we went out rather late. Son in law Yoav took us to a rather industrial section of Talpiot to get some amazing pizza pockets and a drink called Sahlab (the “h” is pronounced like a chet).

We had never had sahlab before. It was totally beyond anything we had ever tasted. It was subtle. It was creamy. It was mysterious. It was seductive.

Sahlab is the dried root of orchis mascula, used to make a beverage of subtle flavor and consistency enjoyed throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. The powdered root can be found at Middle Eastern specialty shops.

Total time 10 minutes

8 cups milk, in all
1 heaping tbsp. sahlab powder
2 tbsp. finely chopped pistachios
Cinnamon

Combine the sahlab powder with 1/4 cup milk and mix well. Gently heat 7-3/4 cups of milk, then whisk the sahlab into the pot. Stir constantly for 5-10 minutes until it thickens.

Pour the sahlab into cups, and garnish with chopped pistachios and a sprinkling of cinnamon.
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Tnuva makes Sahlab powder. Look for it in a kosher store near you. Good luck. O, and when you make it, make sure the kids are asleep for the night!