My Vegan Orange Malabi is a dessert that you will not say no to. It’s light, citrusy and silky. Vegan Orange Malabi is the perfect ending to any meal.
Malabi is a Turkish snow-white milky pudding, flavored with rose water that is not too dissimilar to Italian panna cotta. It was initially introduced into Israel as a street food and can still be found today on some food trucks. It is silky and light and the pudding itself is not very sweet. However, it is traditionally served with a VERY sweet, bright red syrup.
My husband is not a fan of rose water and always complains that it tastes like he is eating pot pourri! Initially, I was simply going to substitute orange blossom water for the rose water. However, during one of our long walks, Andrew asked if I intended on adding orange zest. I thought about it and then decided to go all the way with the orange theme, using orange juice to substitute for the water in addition to the orange zest and orange blossom water. Purists may find this a sacrilege, but I think it turned out beautifully. If you think serving it as “malabi” will outrage someone, then just call it vegan orange pudding!
Vegan Orange Malabi is made with coconut milk and this version is topped with roasted strawberries and chopped pistachios. The base for this version comes from the wonderful cookbook Shuk: From Market to Table, the Heart of Israeli Cooking by Einat Admony and Janna Gur. But my riff on this dessert is what I have included below.
I was first introduced to Malabi when I volunteered on Kibbutz Kissufim over 1973 to 1974. There was food rationing on the kibbutz at the time, a result of both the 1973 war and the fact that Israel was still a pretty poor country then. In 1973 it was almost unrecognizable from the prosperous tech giant it has become as well as now a foodie’s paradise.
Eggs were rationed and any treats like chocolate or strawberries were distributed among the children of the kibbutz. There was always great excitement if one of the volunteers received a care package from home. I still recall with fondness the time our friend Lois was sent a salami all the way from Chicago. Lois generously shared it among the volunteers, with each of us receiving a chunk or thin slice. The salami had the exact perfect ratio of fat to meat. To this day, no salami ever tasted or will taste better.
Malabi first arrived as hot cereal for breakfast. It was something like a cream of wheat or cream of rice with nothing on top. Anything that wasn’t eaten up was repurposed. So by dinnertime, the trolley carts circulating in the dining hall would include a cold custard with a thick bright red syrup for dessert made from the breakfast cereal.
Malabi still is considered a street food, although top chefs have now transformed it into an elegant dessert with elaborate toppings.
Vegan Orange Malabi, which is also Gluten Free, is the perfect light and refreshing end to any meal.
RECIPE
YIELD: 4 Servings but can be doubled
INGREDIENTS
For the pudding
1 can (13.5 ounces) of full-fat coconut milk
2 Tablespoons of water
A pinch of kosher salt
2 Tablespoons of fresh orange juice without pulp
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1.5 Tablespoons of cornstarch
1.5 teaspoons of Orange Blossom Water
Zest of one large orange
DIRECTIONS
Prepare your slurry by placing the cornstarch, orange blossom water and 2 Tablespoons of orange juice in a small bowl. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and flows easily. Set aside.
Pour the coconut milk into a medium saucepan (preferably non-stick) Add 2 Tablespoons of water and the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently.
Once the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat to low and quickly add in the well-mixed slurry, whisking vigorously! The mixture will almost immediately begin to thicken. Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the orange zest. There should not be any lumps.
For family style, pour the mixture over into a pretty bowl.
Or use individual custard cups if you prefer that look. Place plastic wrap directly onto the top of the smooth custard. Refrigerate overnight.
When you are ready to serve, remove the custard from the fridge and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Don’t worry if a bit of custard comes up with the plastic. Your topping will cover any issues. Now enjoy!
For the topping
Michelle Polzine’s Slow-Roasted Strawberries
Yield: About 1.5 cups (450 gr.) This is more than you need for the Malabi but it is wonderful on so many things that you will be happy that you made extra.
Ingredients
2 pounds (900 gr.) of fresh, ripe strawberries
1/2 cup (100 gr.) of granulated sugar (You can add 2 additional Tablespoons if the strawberries are not especially sweet on their own.)
Directions
- Heat the oven to 250 degrees F. Rinse and hull the berries. Leave any tiny ones whole and either quarter or halve the rest so the pieces are all about the same size.
- In a non-reactive pan (I used a stoneware baking dish) that will hold all of the berries closely packed in a single layer, gently toss the strawberries with the sugar.
- Roast slowly in the oven, uncovered for 3 to 6 hours, gently moving them around occasionally with a wide spatula. Mine took 5 hours. They are done when the juices have reduced to a syrup but not darkened into caramel and the berries are jammy. They can be stored in the fridge in an airtight jar or container for just about ever!
Garnishes
There are all kinds of toppings you could you substitute that are only limited by your imagination. A quick and simple sauce is to place frozen berries in a saucepan and add sugar to taste (about 1/4 of sugar to 12 oz. of berries). Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently until the berries start to break down. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 Tablespoon of fresh orange or lemon juice. That’s it. If you want to be fancier, you can add a couple of tablespoons of a liqueur like Creme de Cassis or Grand Marnier.
Roasted pistachios, chopped
