Malabi

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Set out 2 small serving glasses or bowls. In a small saucepan, whisk the cornstarch with about 60 ml of the milk until completely smooth with no lumps, then whisk in the remaining milk, sugar, and salt. Smoothly dispersing the cornstarch before heating prevents a grainy pudding.

   35 g cornstarch400 ml whole milk40 g granulated sugar1 pinch fine sea salt
2. 2

   Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of pourable custard, 4-6 minutes. Once it begins to bubble, cook for 30 seconds more to fully activate the starch and remove any raw taste; do not let it boil hard or it may catch on the bottom.

   35 g cornstarch400 ml whole milk40 g granulated sugar1 pinch fine sea salt
3. 3

   Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the rose water. Divide the pudding between the glasses and lightly tap them on the counter to level the surface.

   2 tsp rose water
4. 4

   Let the malabi stand for about 5 minutes to lose excess heat, then top with the pomegranate arils, chopped pistachios, and desiccated coconut. Serve warm-soft, or chill later if you prefer a firmer, traditional texture.

   50 g pomegranate arils15 g pistachios, finely chopped10 g unsweetened desiccated coconut

Origin & History

Malabi is a milk pudding with roots in the wider Middle East, descending from earlier starch-thickened puddings served across the Ottoman world. In Israel, it became a beloved street-food dessert, often finished with fragrant syrups and crunchy toppings such as nuts and coconut.