Sahlab or Salep, the official winter drink of the Middle East

Name: Sahlab or Salep
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: Sahlab powder Ingredients; 1 Cup coconut Milk Powder; 1/2 Cup Milk Powder; 1/2 Cup Rice flour; 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar; 3 Tbsp Sesame (1 extra tbsp for topping); 3 Tbsp Corn Starch; 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Powder (Vanillin); 1/2 Tsp Mastic; Hot sahlab Ingredients (Per US measuring cup 8fl oz 237ml); 1 Cup Milk (whole preferred); 1/4 Cup Sahlab powder; Nuts, sultanas, desiccated coconut, and cinnamon to top

by Middle Eats May 27, 2022

written by Middle Eats May 27, 2022

Sahlab or Salep the official winter drink of the Middle East

Sahlab or Salep is on the menu in Book recipe, and we are going to teach you how to make this delicious recipe from scratch!

Today we are making Sahlab, a winter drink that has been consumed in the Middle East for over a millennia. It’s a thick drink made using a powder extracted from orchids.

This old-school Salep can still be found in Turkey and Greece, but now most Sahlab drinks are made with cornstarch. I’ll show you how to make the Egyptian variety of Sahlab which is a coconut flavored hot drink that is topped with nuts and sultanas.

Follow along with the 📝 recipes below👇🏾👇🏾

Pin Print
Sahlab or Salep

Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 30 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

Sahlab powder Ingredients

1 Cup coconut Milk Powder
1/2 Cup Milk Powder
1/2 Cup Rice flour
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp Sesame (1 extra tbsp for topping)
3 Tbsp Corn Starch
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Powder (Vanillin)
1/2 Tsp Mastic

Hot sahlab Ingredients (Per US measuring cup 8fl oz 237ml)

1 Cup Milk (whole preferred)
1/4 Cup Sahlab powder
Nuts, sultanas, desiccated coconut, and cinnamon to top

Instructions

To make the Sahlab Powder

Crush the mastic in a pestle and mortar into a fine powder
Toast the sesame seeds over medium heat till golden and fragrant
Sift together all of the ingredients apart from the Sesame seeds
Add the sesame seeds and mix everything together very thoroughly
Store in an airtight container for up to a year

To make the hot Sahlab

Measure your mug of choice in US measuring cups, and multiply the ingredient amounts by the result
Add the milk and Sahlab powder to a pot on medium heat
Whisk together until the mixture thickens (about 5-10 minutes)
Pour out the sahlab into your mug and top with any desired toppings
Serve while warm but be careful this stuff can burn very easily

Notes

You can preheat the milk in the microwave but do not let it boil

Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag us on Instagram at @book.recipe.official.

Chapters

0:00 Intro
1:05 What is Salep?
2:18 Making instant Sahlab powder
6:01 Making a cup of Sahlab from the powder
8:04 Taste test and Review

Recipe video

Enjoy

Let us know what you think of today’s Sahlab or Salep tips, tricks, and hacks!

Middle Eats

Hey, I'm Obi, a home cook who wants to share my love of Middle Eastern cuisine with you! I'm part Egyptian, and I grew up eating so many interesting dishes from all over the Middle East that I want you to try. I'm developing and documenting these recipes, so that you are able to cook delicious Middle Eastern food in your home kitchen. Every week I cover a new dish, and I write detailed steps and ingredient lists so you can replicate the dishes perfectly at home.

previous Recipe