Traditional Lebanese Meghli Recipe

With two new Gazal babies born this month, one of my favourite Lebanese sweets has been made and eaten in abundance!

Meghli is a traditional lebanese dessert, which is a type of rice pudding spiced with anise, caraway and cinnamon and topped with nuts and shredded coconut. 

Traditionally, the dish was made to celebrate the birth of a male heir to the family, however, over time meghli became a celebration dish - one made to welcome all new babies into the family and often enjoyed at Christmas time. 

The name meghli means "boiled" in Arabic - referring to the long cooking time where the cook must continuously stir the meghli as it boils. Luckily, all of that cooking time is well worth it as the end result is a delicious dessert - and one of my favourite Lebanese sweets!

My girls and I are absolutely smitten with the two new arrivals (my sisters daughter Naya and my cousin Michelle's son) and enjoying all of the delicious leftover meghli too! 

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Traditional Lebanese Meghli

Yield: 8

Author: Nicole O'Neil

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Meghli is a traditional lebanese dessert, which is a type of rice pudding spiced with anise, caraway and cinnamon and topped with nuts and shredded coconut. Traditionally, the dish was made to celebrate the birth of a male heir to the family, however, over time meghli became a celebration dish - one made to welcome all new babies into the family and often enjoyed at Christmas time.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 cup sugar, milled into a fine powder (use your food processor or blender)
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground anise seeds
• 1 tbsp ground caraway
• 2 litres/ 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup almonds (peeled and soaked in cold water overnight)
• 3/4 cup walnuts (peeled and soaked in cold water overnight)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (peeled and soaked in cold water overnight)
• 1/4 cup ' data-amount-secondary='31 g'>1/4 cup ground pistachios + 1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Instructions

1. Soak your nuts in cold water overnight before you're ready to make your pudding.
2. In a large saucepan, add your rice flour, sugar, cinnamon, anise and caraway and stir until combined.
3. Slowly pour in your water and mix until combined.
4. Once your ingredients are combined, turn on the stove and heat over a low heat, stirring constantly.
5. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes or until thickened.
6. Remove your pot from the heat and pour your pudding mixture into small individual bowls or a large serving bowl and allow to cool.
7. Chill in the fridge before topping with your coconut, soaked nuts and ground and chopped pistachios.

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meghli, lebanese recipes, dessert, snack

dessert, snack

Lebanese

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