Spiced popsicles (Meghli popsicles)
July 9, 2010 • Category: Dessert
My brother Michel who is established in San Fransisco, California, just had a baby, Salim Antonio, his first; Michel requested that a batch of meghli be made at our end here in Lebanon to celebrate the birth. I REALLY wanted to honor the birth of my little nephew, but I just felt like meghli (which means boiled in Arabic) is better suited for the winter season.
Meghli is a pudding based on rice flour and spiced with anise, caraway and cinnamon; tradition dictates that a large batch of meghli be distributed to friends, relatives and neighbors following the birth of a baby boy; the meghli pudding is decorated with shredded coconut, pistachios and almonds.
I decided to turn it into a meghlipopsicle instead.
NOTE:Meghlimixes are available at all middle-eastern stores; if you have had the real thing, it is the difference between a cake mix and one made from scratch, minus the aftertaste of cakes from a box.
For the traditional meghli pudding recipe, click here.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Tablespoon of ground caraway
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground anise
- 2 cups of water
- 100 g of rice flour
- 1 can of sweetened condensed milk (about 12 ounces)
METHOD:
- Boil the spices in water for 10 minutes; add the rice flour and stir the mixture continuously until it thickens; if desired one can soak the rice in the water for a few hours previously.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk slowly, stirring; when the mixture is thick and homogenous, pour into small popsicles molds and freeze.
Fast method:
- Use one envelope of ice cream powder, vanilla- flavored; follow the directions on the package, adding the spices with the liquid.
NOTE: The blue coating on the popsicle is colored sugar crystals; I dipped the frozen popsicle in very hot water for one split second, then in the blue sugar then in the coconut.
Comments
43 Comments • Comments Feed
Cherine says:
Those popsicles are perfect. Look very summery and delicious!!
On July 9, 2010 at 11:14 am
SYLVIA says:
Congratulations, to your newest member of your family, I am sure he is beautiful beyond words, and Doctor Michel is overjoyed to have become a father. If only baby Salim Antonio, knew how talented and creative his aunt was.
Joumana, this is a wonderful and fun summer recipe, what is that blue coating on the meghli Popsicle?
On July 9, 2010 at 12:32 pm
T.W. Barritt says:
I love it! An adult popsicle! Congratulations!
On July 9, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Suman singh says:
Congratulations to your brother..god bless the baby…
Popsicles looks amazing…how did you get that blue color on top?..thanks for such unique and delicious recipe!
On July 9, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Sook says:
Those popsicles look so cute and colorful!
On July 9, 2010 at 1:05 pm
peter says:
Congrats on the birth of your nephew. Please have a blue popsicle for me.
On July 9, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Marla says:
I love this twist! Just had a baby on June 7 and my mother has also been preparing meghli for us. We’ve been greatly enjoying your website since I discovered it a few months ago. It’s a treasure for all of us! p.s. We’ve especially enjoyed reading your entries since you’ve been in Lebanon – brings all of us home.
On July 9, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Katerina says:
My son would love them. They are very cute.
On July 9, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Priya says:
Beautiful and interesting pops..
On July 9, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Grapefruit says:
The recipe is not much unlike one for ‘kheer’ – the sout asian pudding.
Looks nice and summery! What a lovely idea to turn it into a popsicle.
Btw – I just tagged you for an award over on my blog. Please check it out.
On July 9, 2010 at 3:19 pm
kim says:
Congratulations! These little popsicles reminds me of kulfi. Here in NYC, we are getting more and more artisan popsicle vendors that creat exotic flavors and even themes (one ties the flavor to politics because the founders majored in social science or something). Anyway, who cares as look as they’re delicious. Yours look so festive and elegant!
On July 9, 2010 at 3:36 pm
Claudia says:
What a sweet celebration! Congratulations on the birth of your nephew. How lovely for your brother. This is the sweetest way to welcome a baby into the world. I love how you made it a summer treat. Maybe you have started a new trend. If wishing were having … I’d have one right now.
On July 9, 2010 at 6:35 pm
Susan says:
They look wonderful! I’d love to be biting into one and looking at that gorgeous view!
On July 9, 2010 at 7:44 pm
peanutts says:
wow, interesting popsicle. spices and condensed milk
On July 9, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Devaki says:
Congratulations on the new addition to your family, Joumana! Your modern updated interpretation of age old recipes is your signature style and once again you’ve pulled it off with style!
Lovely ingredients and such a lovely way to celebrate glad tidings 🙂
Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
On July 9, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Hélène (Cannes) says:
Encore une jolie recette ! J’adore cette cuisine, qui me dépayse totalement !
Bisous
Hélène
On July 10, 2010 at 12:49 am
Ann says:
Can you help? I am trying to practice baking Marquq (? mountain bread?) according to a hand written recipe. I learned to bake this bread as a young girl from a grandparent, but it has been many years since I have done it. I am wondering if you have any tips or can guide me to some resources? I am struggling with getting the dough handkerchief thin and keeping it flat when putting it on the oven floor. Also, I am not sure what temp the oven should be or how long to bake it (that was left off the recipe).
Thank you for your interesting recipes and the historical background explaining the traditions! I am learning so much and enjoying it tremendously. My grandparents both immigrated to America from Lebanon and I grew up learning to cook and bake some Lebanese foods. I feel I am learning more about Lebanese culture through your blog. Many thanks! Ann
On July 10, 2010 at 6:13 am
Jojo says:
You should retail meghli popsicles! Yum!!!
On July 10, 2010 at 6:19 am
Joanne says:
Congrats to your brother! That is incredibly awesome!
I love the idea of turning pudding into popsicles…creamy and delicious! Especially with all of these spices.
On July 10, 2010 at 6:45 am
Doc says:
Too cool! Love the popsicle/pudding treats and the spiced flavors. yet another well done, my friend!
On July 10, 2010 at 8:37 am
Sommer says:
Congratulations to your brother! These little pops are so intriguing. I’ve never heard of meghli before, and will have to look around for it!
On July 10, 2010 at 8:56 am
elra says:
that popsicles look beautiful and delicious Joumana.
On July 10, 2010 at 9:34 am
Jean says:
Congrats on your new nephew! How exciting for your family.
Love your creativity, adapting your meghli to be more suitable for the warm weather. It looks great!
On July 10, 2010 at 10:25 am
Lentil Breakdown says:
So glad you created these pops for the new pop. You’re a very clever girl!
On July 10, 2010 at 12:08 pm
anncoo says:
Those popsicle looks so beautiful and interesting.
On July 10, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Jen_from_NJ says:
Congratulations! Your blue popsicles are perfect!
On July 10, 2010 at 12:56 pm
doggybloggy says:
congratulations and WOW what a cool popsicle….I am going to get me some meghli now thanks to you….
On July 10, 2010 at 1:19 pm
Magdalena says:
First of all, congratulations for your brother. He must be happy.
As regards the recipe – something completely new for me. – I have never tried meghli.I always find something interesting at you blog. I hope you are having a relaxing weekend.
On July 10, 2010 at 2:32 pm
FOODESSA says:
What a great tradition. I just learnt something new and in your case blue too LOL.
Congrats to becoming a aunty and may he be blessed to one day have you feeding him with your lovely treats ;0)
Ciao for now,
Claudia
On July 10, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Kerstin says:
Congrats to your brother!
What yummy little treats – I’d love to try one!
On July 10, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Marc @ NoRecipes says:
Wow that blue sugar looks stunning! Congratulations on your nephew:-)
On July 11, 2010 at 12:22 am
grace says:
caraway and cinnamon, eh? what an interesting spice combination! these little treats are unique and pretty and completely nifty–thanks for sharing!
On July 11, 2010 at 4:07 am
oum mouncifrayan says:
un travail de pro!!! bravo jumana
On July 11, 2010 at 5:52 am
Jamie says:
Congratulations to all! And what a clever twist on a traditional sweet. Very cool!
On July 11, 2010 at 6:29 am
PJ says:
The blue color to the Popsicle looks so pretty and I ‘m sure it would taste great too!!!!
On July 11, 2010 at 11:43 am
OysterCulture says:
Wow, this just sounds so interesting and I love the color. What a great way to celebrate such a momentous occasion.
On July 11, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Mathai says:
Congratulations to your brother! Those are some really nice popsicles
On July 11, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Faith says:
I absolutely love these! They sound delicious and the blue sprinkles really are the perfect touch!
On July 11, 2010 at 5:13 pm
Amy @ cookbookmaniac says:
Oh Wow. How interesting. They looks awesome!
On July 12, 2010 at 2:47 am
Amber @Almost Vegan says:
Yum! It sounds a bit like kulfi; does it taste like that at all?
On July 12, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Alice Accad says:
Oh god. Turns away in horror at the photo of me…
On July 13, 2010 at 1:13 pm