Malabi: Israeli Milk Pudding With Strawberry and Rose Syrup

It’s hard to go to a typical Israeli souk without hearing the calls proclaiming fresh, homemade malabi. Its ubiquitous combination of snow white custard and rosy syrup is a sight for sore eyes and overheated brows, who welcome this dessert’s cooling effect. Prepared on the basis with pure coconut milk, this vegan malabi is much lighter in flavor than the traditional recipe. In place of processed sugar, it's sweetened with stevia, thus highlighting its natural sweetness and lightness. For the syrup, it's topped with strawberries and strawberry-flavoured stevia, which results in a beautiful and gently sweetened strawberry rose syrup.

MALABI: ISRAELI MILK PUDDING WITH STRAWBERRY AND ROSE SYRUP [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PUDDING:

• 1 cup coconut milk or cream
• 1 cup water
• 6 drops coconut stevia
• 2-3 drops vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in a little cold water (cornstarch should look like white syrup without any lumps)
• 1/2 teaspoon rose water
• Sugar-free strawberry rose syrup, to taste
• 1 cup ripe strawberries, trimmed and cut in halves
• 4-6 drops strawberry stevia (depending on the sweetness of your fresh strawberries)
• 1/2 teaspoon rose water

FOR THE TOPPING:

• Shredded coconut
• Chopped peanuts, toasted
• Pomegranate arils

PREPARATION

1. In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk/ cream with water. Set to heat on medium heat; when the liquid is hot to the touch, add cardamom, coconut drops and vanilla extract and stir.
2. When liquid is boiling, lower heat and gradually add in water-cornstarch mixture, constantly stirring. Stir for 2 minutes, taking care to avoid any lumps from forming.
3. Immediately pour vegan malabi into small glasses or ice cream bowls. Let cool in refrigerator for at least one hour, and preferably several hours.
4. Sugar-free strawberry rose syrup: in a blender, combine strawberry drops and rose water. Process until fully combined.
5. To serve, top each glass of chilled malabi with sugar-free strawberry rose syrup, and your choice of toppings.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/malabi-israeli-milk-pudding-with-strawberry-and-rose-syrup/