Rice Pudding with Vanilla and Sahlab

Ingredients

• 5 cups milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup Egyptian rice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mastic (mastika)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons sahlab
• 1 cup cream
• Note:
• The above quantities make about 6 cups of vanilla-and-sahlab rice pudding.
• This lovely rice pudding recipe with vanilla and sahlab is from a friend and cook on Shou Tabkhin El-Yom:
• Rana Sbeiti Bazzi
• Click Rana’s name to visit her page on the site and discover her great recipes
• To make maamoul filled with cream — one of Rana’s popular recipes — see: Cream-Filled Maamoul
• For more Middle Eastern desserts see: Easy Cheese Halva
• For simple date maamoul (a frequently requested recipe) see: Easiest Date Maamoul

Method

1. Rinse the rice and soak it in water for half an hour.
2. Boil the rice over medium heat with 1 cup of water for 10 minutes.
   Timers: 10 min
3. Add the milk and cream and stir over the heat for about 30 minutes.
   Timers: 30 min
4. Add the sugar, continue stirring, then add the sahlab and mix until you have a creamy consistency.
5. Finally, add the mastic and orange blossom water and leave the mixture on low heat for about one minute while stirring continuously.
6. Pour the rice pudding into suitable cups or glasses and refrigerate until well chilled. Garnish with pistachios or any nuts you prefer.