Christmas meals can also be used to try new things. If you already dared with the main dishes, try new desserts or even drinks like this that you will love.
Halíb bin Haíl (literally milk with cardamom) is a very popular drink in the Middle East that is usually given to children during breakfast as the chocolate preparations that we usually give in the West.
While Middle Eastern breakfasts have little or nothing to do with Western breakfasts lately, they are getting dangerously close to the fast and bad fashions that are so prevalent around here.
In this way, breakfasts with cucumber, tomato, labneh, hummus, ayran or simit are being replaced by dairy preparations and sugary cereals. Thus the Turkish children of a certain age are getting used to drinking tea with milk before going to school and nibbling simit (bagels with sesame) during the long journey that usually separates them from school.
This drink is prepared very quickly and thanks to the cardamom it evokes the traditional aromas of the East.
INGREDIENTS (4 cups):*
- 5 cups of whole milk (1 liter)
- 4 tablespoons of sugar
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 5 green cardamom pods ground
* usually cups used to drink Halíb bin Haíl are larger than the ones used in West, so 5 cups of our cups are equivalent to 4 Middle East cups, it's not a typo !
In a saucepan over medium-low heat add the milk, sugar and flavorings. We stir constantly to prevent the milk from sticking and when it starts to boil we remove immediately.
It is served by straining the flavorings directly into the bowls or it is allowed to cool to room temperature and then placed in the refrigerator.
A restorative and delicious drink, whether you are children or not.