#sahlab

حلو اوي صيف فبراير ده ،

I was not expecting @pipaapo to reply; read the tags and later asks -

soo why not try some Sahlab? its an Egyptian chocolate milk (I think, I just googled it) so here.

Here’s Pharah’s Sahlab. This was probably one of the strangest textured drink I have ever had. Definitely a worthwhile experience. 

Taste wise, I loved it. The cinnamon and the ginger are amazing together. For anyone who doesn’t like hot chocolate, this is a great addition for wintery drinks. The pistachios don’t add much in my opinion to the taste. They do give it a festive feel. I used salted and roasted pistachios here.

Now for the oddity. Be sure to have a spoon handy. This drink gets thick. Really thick. Most Americans are not going to be used to a warm drink as thick as a milkshake. This took me by surprise. While warm milk is an age old sleep remedy, sahlab is much different. 

You’re going to need the spoon to mix the garnish into the drink. And to mix the drink as it cools. The top will get a cool film while the depths are piping hot. So a constant stir in between sips will keep it uniformly warm. Also two cups is a lot of liquid. This recipe can easily be reduced in half. Or for sharing. 

The thickness of the drink will be determined by how much cornstarch/ arrowroot used and the length of time heating. Milk must be heated slowly or it will scorch. It also forms a film on the pot. The straining removes the film picked up from stirring while heating. By my estimating the amount of cornstarch can also be reduced to half or even less if you are not used to thick drinks. 

I did alter this to dairy free using an unsweetened pea protein base milk. Because of this, I had to use a bit more sugar to reach a balance of flavor. If using a sweeter nut milk or regular milk the sugar called for in the recipe should be fine.