Notes
Sahlab is a popular winter drink in Egypt in cafes, as well as in homes.
The beverage is a thick creamy white hot drink.
The main ingredient is the Salep, which is a white flour like powder obtained from the dried tubers of a wild orchid, Orchis mascula.
The flour is used in other Turkish cooking, such as the thick dondurma ice cream.
The main ingredient in the flour is mucilage, which gives sahlab its thick characteristic.
In Egypt, salep powder is kept and used for years. However, in Turkey, it is seasonal, and consumption of last year's crop after the new year's crop is out is frowned upon, much like the kastana (Marron glace).
Resources
Salep orchid at botanical.com.
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica article on salep.
King's American dispensary on salep.
An Australian woman writes about salep, contains a recipe.
Salon.com article on salep dondurma ice cream.
Servings: 2
Preparation Time: 0.5 hours
Ingredients:
- 4 teaspoons Sahlab (salep) powder
- 2 glasses milk
- Sugar to taste
Cooking Instructions:
Add the salep and sugar to some cold milk and mix well.
Bring the rest of the milk to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, then add the salep/milk mixture.
Wait until the mixture thickens.
You can garnish by adding shredded coconuts, crushed nuts, or a pinch of cinnamon.
Serve hot.
Comments
suplementy (not verified)
Very helpful artical! Thanks
Thu, 2008-03-20 09:20Very helpful artical! Thanks again.
rowery (not verified)
- Thanks for the info
Wed, 2009-03-11 03:50- Thanks for the info
Free Recipes (not verified)
i wonder if the sahlab powder
Tue, 2010-01-26 13:53i wonder if the sahlab powder has any flavor. does it taste similar to all-purpose flour? i'm so curious as to how sahlab tastes!
Anonymous (not verified)
not too much flavour.
Sat, 2010-01-30 19:01not too much flavour. consistency of corn flour / starch. with rose water added - that becomes the main flavour. very nice drink though......highly recommend it.....
Donna (not verified)
No..it tastes like
Thu, 2010-03-11 19:28No..it tastes like flowery... it's a fantastic drink..I had it in Egypt..and I also make it at home also... :)
samsalti (not verified)
its aroma more than taste
Tue, 2010-07-06 21:22its aroma more than taste
Visitor (not verified)
Sahlab
Fri, 2010-11-05 23:56I use corn starch it works very good and I add a couple to table spoons of rose water to mix it gives it the aroma and the taste.
Anonymous (not verified)
is it good for tummy pains
Thu, 2010-02-04 01:15its so good and healthy but does it relax the tummy or for pains cramps?
Khalid
No
Thu, 2010-02-04 09:58I don't know of any soothing effect on the tummy. For that, use peppermint or anise.
samsalti (not verified)
yes it is
Tue, 2010-07-06 21:22yes it is
Anonymous (not verified)
substitute for the Sahlab powder
Tue, 2010-06-01 17:39is there anything i could substitute the sahlab powder for?
samsalti (not verified)
yes you can use corn starch
Tue, 2010-07-06 21:19yes you can use corn starch in the the drink it will be 2tbl spoons to 16 oz milk it will not give the exact taste but it is 70% close top the drink with few drops orange blossom some coconut cinnamon you will not be able to taste the difference
Visitor (not verified)
Laila
Tue, 2010-12-14 08:58Are the Sahlab mixes available now in Egypt original or artificial. I have a feeling that they just sell a mixture of corn starch, vanilla and some artificial aroma without the real benefits of the real sahlab.. are you sure they still plant it in Egypt and sell the real thing? My husband bought some ready mixture from a guy who sells herbs here in Alexandria where you only need to add milk and I read that in Turkey those ready mixes have no real sahlab in them because sahlab would be more expensive.
Also, is it originally a traditional Egyptian or Turkish drink? I think from the name Salep says that it comes from an Arabic origin but I am not sure if it came to Egypt during the Turkish invasion or not...
Visitor (not verified)
farhat
Wed, 2013-04-24 02:02Hello
I'm looking salep or Sahlap powder
for Making ice cream.
Please help me in Switzerland
wath is the Powder English Name ?
Where can prepare and
Just to make Ice.
Thanks
Khalid
Would be named Salep
Wed, 2013-04-24 12:52Would still be named Salep.
Check the Salep on Wikipedia page
aurora (not verified)
i bought salep powder in a
Tue, 2016-03-15 11:53i bought salep powder in a store,but it has a very strong unpleasant smell,even when i cook it. Is that usual for the salep powder? Thank you in advance.
Khalid
No
Tue, 2016-03-15 11:56What does it smell like (similar to other smells, rotten fish, rotten eggs, ...what)?
It should not be unpleasant, nor should it be strong.
aurora (not verified)
It is a very bad smell but i
Tue, 2016-03-15 12:19It is a very bad smell but i cannot figure it out what kind of smell it is. The problem is that even when i add rose water and cinnamon,still it has that unpleasant smell. It was very expensive so i guessed i bought a good product,but now i dont know. Should i throw it away? Thank you for your fast answer!:)
Khalid
Not a strange drink ...
Tue, 2016-03-15 12:24Sahlab is not one of those things that are an "acquired taste". It should not smell bad at all.
Take it back to wherever you bought it and have someone there smell it. Perhaps it is a bad package or even a bad batch. At least you will get your money back, or a replacement package.
Add comment