Apricot and milk pudding (muhallabiya amardeen)

Love apricots! However, I have not had good luck with the  fresh  apricots sold in supermarkets. They were so often bland and pasty that I stopped buying them.  I remember my excitement the first time I found the amardeen of my childhood in a middle-eastern store…  we used to tear off pieces and  lick them slowly.. This was an after-school snack, our Levantine fruit roll-up!  Manufactured in Syria with apricots that come from the Ghouta  region near Damascus, this apricot leather is to me the best! Very intense apricot flavor, with the tanginess that makes it so irresistible. My mom  would  prepare a pudding from the amardeen that she would decorate in a very artsy way using pine nuts, almonds and pistachios. Easy to make. Delicious. With extra  benefits: apricot is a remedy for anemia, as it is iron-rich. It is a gentle laxative, rich in Vitamin A and calcium and good for the eye and heart.

None of the cookbooks I had even mentioned this recipe, until I found it in The Arab Table, by May S. Bsisu. She calls it mohalabia kamar el deen, which is fitting since, just like the traditional mohalabia it is thickened with cornstarch and flavored with sugar and rose and orange blossom waters. Mrs. Bsisu also suggests combining both the traditional milk-based mohalabia and this amardeen pudding, one layer on top of the other. I love the idea, especially since in Lebanon they make an orange pudding and pour it on top. I prefer the tangy taste of apricots on top of milk. I  decided to  break away from tradition a teensy bit by using plain gelatin in addition to the cornstarch, to make sure the pudding was firm enough.

INGREDIENTS: This quantity will serve 6 to 8 people or more if you use smaller goblets.

1 Large package of Amardeen (about 500g or 1 lb)

4 cups of water

1/2 cup of sugar or several tablespoons of syrup (atr) (or more, to taste)

2 Tablespoons of cornstarch

1 teaspoon  of gelatin

1 Tablespoon of orange blossom water, 1 Tablespoon of rose water (or more, to taste)

To garnish:

1/2 cup of almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, or any other nut that you like to use

METHOD:

• The night before: Cut the amardeen in large pieces and cover them with water. Leave it overnight and even a day longer.
• The next day, puree this mixture in a blender till it is almost perfectly smooth. If you wish, strain it by running it through a sieve into the pot, but I personally don’t find this step necessary. However, it is a good idea to keep track of how many cups you end up with, to calculate how much thickening agent you are going to need. You should have 4 cups, with a little extra that you can drink as a refreshing juice or incorporate in a smoothie.
• In a large pot, pour the apricot puree, add the sugar and the cornstarch. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Now add the gelatin by having 1/4 cup of water nearby, sprinkle the gelatin on top of the water and then add it to the hot apricot mixture.
• Keep stirring for about 3 minutes and then pour the mixture, this time through a sieve, into a container with a spout.
• Divide the pudding into small goblets or one large platter.

Decorate the surface of the pudding after it has set with a medley of nuts. Sahteyn!

NOTE:

If you feel like combining milk and apricot flavors, prepare the muhallabia first. Use the same quantities as for the apricot.

4 cups of whole milk (or lowfat)

1/2 cup of sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons rice flour (or simply 5 tablespoons of cornstarch)

1 Tablespoon of orange blossom water and rose water

METHOD:

Place the milk and the cornstarch and rice flour (if using) in a saucepan on medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon constantly until the mixture boils, then add the sugar. Simmer gently until it thickens like gravy. Add the blossom and rose water and cook a few minutes more. Pour into a jug through a sieve to get rid of all the hard lumps and get the pudding as silky smooth as possible. Pour into individual goblets and refrigerate. Wait a couple hours if you can before pouring the amardeen pudding.