Malabi Rose Water Milk Pudding Recipe

The iconic israeli dessert, known as malabi, has its roots in centuries-old recipes for puddings made of rice flour and almond or cow's milk-which can be found throughout the middle east, turkey, and mediterranean europe. A close cousin of muhallabia, as the spoon sweet is known in the arab world, today's israeli malabi is often made with cornstarch instead of rice flour. Silky textured and light, the flower-scented pudding is topped with sweet syrup and nuts or shredded coconut. Not only is malabi a perfect fit for middle eastern menus, but its flavors are a natural complement to indian cuisine as well. Plus, the allergy-friendly recipe is gluten-and egg-free, and can be made with dairy milk substitutes like soy, coconut, or almond milk, so it's easily adapted to special dietary needs.