POST-IFTAR INNOVATIONS-

There are a lot of glamorous Ramadan desserts out there, with (often unnecessary) innovations coming out every year. While we are growing tired of the biscuit spread and melange of desserts that we see every year, we’re still big fans of modern interpretations of classic desserts, like om Ali made with palmier biscuits or tres leches with rosewater or pistachio.

We have two variations of one such dessert for you today: Mehalabeya bil tamr and mehalabeya bil mishmish. They’re simple, delicious, and easy to make.

Ingredients for mehalabeya base:

  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 cups whipping cream
  • 8 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 4 tbsp cornstarch (add more if needed)
  • Vanilla extract to taste

Additional ingredients for tamr version:

  • 200g ‘agwa (we used Al Tahhan)
  • Around 10 dates for the garnish
  • Granulated sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • 10g butter

Additional ingredients for mishmish version:

  • Dried apricots (washed and dried)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • Vanilla extract to taste

⏲ Cooking time:10 minutes

Instructions for mehalabeya bil tamr:

  • Mix all the ingredients for the mehalabeya base together in the pan before turning on the heat.
  • Let the mixture boil and simmer for a few minutes while stirring constantly.
  • Add the stick of ‘agwa and stir until melted.
  • Once everything is combined and the mixture starts to thicken, pour out into a circular dish or into ramekins.
  • While they cool, cut up the dates into quarters and pan-sear in butter.
  • Once slightly cooled, coat the date pieces in sugar and cinnamon.
  • Add garnishes on top.

Instructions for mehalabeya bil mishmish:

  • Mix all the ingredients for the mehalabeya base together in the pan before turning on the heat.
  • Let the mixture boil and simmer for a few minutes while stirring constantly.
  • Once everything is combined and the mixture starts to thicken, pour out into a circular dish or into ramekins.
  • While they cool, mix a cup of water with a cup of sugar and bring to a boil.
  • Add vanilla.
  • Add the cut up pieces of dried apricot and add to the syrup.
  • Once the syrup starts to thicken, turn off the heat.
  • Once cooled, garish with the pieces of mishmish and leftover syrup.

If you want a richer mehalabeya, you can customize the milk-to-cream ratio as you please. It can also go the other way around if you want to defeat the purpose of dessert and make it a little healthier.

? FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

Step aside, Jeff VanderMeer. We have another great piece of environmental fiction — only this one is a little less creepy: The Overstay by Richard Powers tells the story of several people and families whose narratives and lives are centered around the trees they’ve interacted with. Think the eponymous Yacoubian Building or the village of Macondo from Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s epic 100 Years of Solitude. Powers weaves together these disparate narratives to create a sweeping epic that explores humanity's relationship with nature. The book has been hailed as a game-changer in the world of environmental literature, winning the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, the William Dean Howells Medal, and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize (for non-literary nerds, that’s a big thing).

But be warned: The book is far from a beach read, it’s a hefty tome. It is also not afraid to get a little preachy, so if you’re not prepared to be shaken out of your apathy and forced into caring about the world around you, then this isn’t for you.

WHERE TO FIND IT- You can find your copy of this critically-acclaimed novel at any Diwan Bookstore branch near you, or you can order it onlinehere. If the book really got to you and you want to save the trees, you can download theKindle version instead.

? HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

Back to basics:Arabiatais a hallmark of Egyptian culture. The Korba branch has been open since 1948, and after expanding all over Cairo, it now has branches open in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. We’ve all been there hundreds of times, whether intentionally or not, and you probably already know your order by heart. This week’s target audience is anyone willing to explore beyond their staples for a classic suhoor.

WHAT TO ORDER- Ask for the Amati sandwich with extra coleslaw salad. Amati taameya are smaller, bite-sized versions of regular taameya, which makes the crunch-to-fluff ratio more balanced. The coleslaw isn’t mixed with mayo, so the freshness of the vegetables balances the taameya’s heartiness. Match it up with a creamy, flavorful, nourishing fūl. Pro tip: The signature Arabiata fūl sandwich tastes infinitely better than your regular old ful with olive oil with some boiled eggs mashed right into it. The richness of the yolk adds an extra dimension to the fūl’s creaminess, and the firmer egg white stops it from becoming too overwhelming. It’s a match made in heaven.

? Per person: EGP 20-100

? Outdoor seating: Yes

? Accessibility friendly: Yes

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