Mahalepi:Tasty Pudding From cyprus!

Cyprus is one among that country which provides variety of food with a graet range of variation. The vegetables are fresh, plentiful and varied. We have not yet discovered the 'benefits' of irradiation' and fresh local produce can be bought in carrier bags as they begin to 'turn' for about £1 a bag, no matter what the contents. This is very handy for preparing such long lasting staples as tomato sauce and various other pickles and jams. It is also a good reason to purchase a fruit juicer and freezer. Please note that for ease of use, the local names we use here are not necessarily spelled correctly, but if you say them as they are written, you should be understood. If you are a vegetarian, you will find meat on every menu, but you will also be delighted with the salads and the vegetables you will also find, some are prepared in the oven with unusual dishes such as large butter beans casseroled with vegetables in the oven, Cauliflower oven baked in tomato sauce with Commanderia, green beans also in a tomato sauce, a vegetable named kolokasi, ( which needs to be broken into pieces and not sliced or it will become slimy,) again cooked with tomato's, different types of bean (fasolia) haricot beans cooked with carrot, potatoes, celery, onions and tomato, black eyed beans cooked with lahana (a type of spinach) and all manner of stuffed peppers, courgette, mushrooms and aubergines. Pourghouri (pronounce it poor gory) is a nice dish, cracked bulgher wheat with vermicelli cooked with onion and tomatoes. Similar to a cous cous, although not really, but often called cous cous here by mistake.
YOU OUGHT TO TASTE THIS MONTH!!


MAHALEPI

Pudding made of "Maize flower" served with rosewater and sugar.

OR

Mahalepi, a Cypriot dessert which is flavoured with rosewater and rose petals. Mahalepi is an acquired taste you need to get used to it!

ENVIRONMENT TO EAT MAHALEPI:
Mahalepi can be eaten when there are few clouds and some gentle breeze -u'll taste MAGIC!

WHEN YOU HAVE ONE SPOON OF MAHALEPI:
Mahaepi is that dish which will take you to -Cyprus.

PLACE TO HAVE MAHALEPI:
You can have Mahalepi sitting in between a corn field,or simply on terrace.

HERE IS HOW IT GOES:

Mahalepi

This is how you make the pudding:

80g rice flour
90g caster sugar
1 tsp rose water
550ml milk
550ml water

And this is for the syrup

80g caster sugar
60ml water
2 tsp rose water
185ml water extra (iced for preference)

Put the flour, sugar, rose water, milk and water into a pan and bring to the boil, whisking all the while. Continue to whisk for a few more minutes after it comes to the boil, before removing from heat. Allow it to cool a little and then pour into serving bowls. The recipe suggested four, I managed reasonable portions for six. Leave to cool.

To make the syrup, heat the water (I just used a jug in the microwave) and then stir in the sugar until dissolved. Add the rose water and the extra iced water. Refrigerate until needed.

When ready to serve (everything should be well-chilled), pour a small amount of the syrup over the pudding and serve.

Serves 4-6

IT WILL SOOTH YOUR SOUL ,TRUST ME.

You can color the syrup lightly with rose petals, or cherries, but, it's so pure and clear, I prefer the surrounding to color it instead.

LIKEWISE,IF,
you want it to taste little bit extra ordinary then you ought to prepare it with some greek-touch in it :
the method of preparing it in greek way is:

Stir the corn flour and sugar in 2 cups/375ml/ 13 fl oz of the
water until blended in a large pan.

Add the remaining water.
Switch on the heat and stir continuously with a wooden spoon to avoid any lumps forming.
As it,begins to bubble, add the rose water and lower the heat. Continue stirring
for a few minutes until thickened. Pour into wet bowls and leave to cool and set.

The next day, refrigerate for several hours. Before serving, have a large
bowl ready filled with cold water. Wet your hand and carefully push the
mahalepi out of their bowls into the water. Serve with extra sugar and rose water.

This very refreshing sweet is perfect for the summer months. As an
alternative to the usual white mahalepi, replace the rose water with triantafillo,
a rose-flavored syrup, to make pink mahalepi.

Similarly,mahalepi can also be prepared with strawberries or cherries,all you need to do is when you leave it for cooling before you refrigerate it you need to add few pieces of strawberries or cherries and then refrigerate it.