Happy New Year with layered Syrian Orange Blossom Water Pudding
In my family we always eat white foods on New Year’s Day.This is a tradition carried on by my mom; it is how she was brought up in Damascusand it’s part of the existence she pieced together here in Pacific Grove forher family. White symbolizes newness or a clean, fresh start so you eat whitefoods on New Year’s Day, putting the old year behind you and focusing on theblank page that is the New Year. Growing up we had a spread of white dishes onNew Year’s Day and this year was no different.
One of the dishes that my mom always makes—that reallyhas no name—is a layered pudding. She uses Maria biscuits and two flavors—chocolateand orange blossom water—of mhalabeeyay (amilk pudding) with the white (orange blossom water) on top. Every year it’s alittle different, depending on her creativity and what’s around the house. Thisyear it was topped with shredded coconut and it was perfect.
Growing up we had mhalabeeyaywhen we had sore throats. Every culture has opinions and recommendations forremedies when one is sick. I have heard in the US that you shouldn’t have dairywhen you have a sore throat, that dairy makes the phlegm in your throat worsebut Syrians eat warm milk pudding, saying it will soothe a sore throat. When Ilived in Spain my advisor insisted on a cold beer on tap—it had to be on tap—tosoothe a sore throat so maybe there’s more than one theory to cold remedies?
Anyhow, my brother liked vanilla and I liked chocolateand my mom was very fair so she would make him vanilla and then gently stir incacao powder into mine to suit both of our tastes. What I am saying is thatthis recipe is forgiving and my mom is amazing.
This is also the first dish I ever learned how to make.My mom would light the stovetop for me and I would stand on a stepstool. Ilearned from a young age how to dissolve cornstarch in water and add itdelicately to sweetened warm milk—stirring constantly but gently enough to notsplatter and get scolded—to create a pudding.
For New Year’s Day my mom makes this in a rectangularPyrex. She puts a later of Maria biscuits then chocolate pudding then anotherlayer of Maria biscuits then the orange blossom water, the “white” puddinglayer on top. For a little bit of history, the Maria biscuit was created inLondon by the Peak Freans bakery in 1874 to commemorate the marriage of theGrand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia to the Duke of Edinburgh. Alternatively,you can use Graham crackers instead of Maria biscuits as my mom did many atime in our childhood.
Mhalabeeyay (Syrian milk pudding)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1-2 tbsp. sugar, to taste
- 2 tbsp. cornstartch
- 1/3 cup filtered water, at room temperature to dissolve the corntarch
- 2 tsp. orange blossom water, you can find this at most grocery stores or at the International Market at 580 Lighthouse Ave. in Monterey
Directions:
In a saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the milk over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in a cup, I use the measuring cup I used to measure the water because it is simpler that way and has a spout for pouring and doesn’t make a mess.
When the milk just begins to boil, reduce the heat to lowand slowly add the cornstarch slurry, stirring constantly to prevent clumping.When all of the cornstarch has been incorporated. Turn off the heat and stir inthe orange blossom water.
While still warm, pour into dessert dishes. Typically this dish is served with shredded coconut or nuts on top. It can be served warm or cold. If you have children with sore throats, warm is better. I hope you enjoy this treat from my childhood as much as we always do.
