Hot Turkish Wintertime Drink – Sahlep / Salep

 

Homemade Sahlep Drink 

Turkish Sahlep Drink Recipe

In this post, we are going to mention about very popular beverage in Turkey during cold winter days and going to share its recipe. This is "Turkish Sahlep Drink". Nowadays, even though it is mainly served in coffee shops, there used to be street vendors selling sahlep in the streets.

Sahlep is a milky and heartwarming drink. It is a perfect winter season warmer with cinnamon notes to give you that cosy feeling. It is made with hot milk and sugar which is then thickened with flour made from wild orchid tubers. It is one of our favourite winter drinks. 

Do you have a favourite wintertime drink? Have you tried Sahlep before? 

We are sure that if you try this delicious winter drink in your kitchen, you and your household like it. This so rich, creamy and milky drink that both kids and adults "love" it like crazy! It is served with cinnamon powder on the top. And everyone loves it at first sip. 

What is Sahlep Drink!

Turkish salep (its pronounciation: sah-LEP) is a rich, hot beverage made with hot milk and sugar that is thickened with flour made from wild orchid tubers. It contains a lot of starch, lending a particularly delicate and creamy texture to hot liquids with which it is mixed. Salep is primarily used to make the drink of the same name, where it is mixed with milk and sugar and heated until thickened. Also ice cream in Turkey boasts sahlep powder ingredient to give this dessert special flavor and texture. Especially, Marash city's Ice Cream has a larger proportion of sahlep than other local ice creams. There is a type of ice cream called "kesme" which means "one that can be cut". This icecream is served cut into rectangular pieces and doesn't easily melt unlike any other ice cream you are used to.

Sahlep is very expensive ingredient in Turkey. With the increasing decline of some salep species, in recent years the price of salep has skyrocketed, although you only need a small amount to make this drink. We generally buy sahlep powder in herbalist stores. Also Dr.Oetker and Ülker present good quality sahleps to their customers. 

 

History of Sahlep Drink!

According to the historians; During the 17th and 18th century, its consumption spread beyond the Ottoman Empire’s borders to England before the rise of coffee and tea. In England (UK), it was known as saloop and used to be made with water, instead of milk. Apparently, because tea and coffee were much more expensive then, salep used to be served as an alternative in English coffee houses. Surprisingly, nowadays, hardly anyone knows about this beverage in the UK.

Traditional Sahlep

How to Make Sahlep Drink!

This delicious drink preparation is really very simple. Its prep takes one or two minutes and its cooking time takes five or 10 minutes. That's it.

The most important thing in the preparation of this drink is that it must be continuously stirred. This will prevent it from going lumpy and sticking to the bottom of the milk pan.

Recipe for Sahlep Drink!

Here it is our simple and quick homemade sahlep drink recipe;

Serve: 2 servings, Preparation Time: 1 or 2 minutes, Cooking Time: 5 or 10 minutes, Cuisine: Mediterranean / Anatolian Cuisines, 

Very good family favourite;

Ingredients: 2 cups of cold whole milk  (400-500 ml.),

Ingredients: 1 Teaspoon of pure sahlep powder, 

Ingredients: 2 Teaspoons of granulated sugar, 

Ingredients: 1/2 Teaspoon of ground cinnamon
for sahlep mixture  (optional ),
other 1/2 Teaspoon of ground cinnamon for garnish, 

Firstly put the pure sahlep powder into the milk pan, 

Then put ground cinnamon and
granulated sugar into the milk pan 

Then pour in the cold milk into the milk pan, 

And mix all ingredients really well, 

Then on low heat, while stirring continuously
with a whisk or a spoon,
bring the milk and sahlep mixture to boil, 

The most important thing in the preparation
of this drink is that it must be continuously stirred.
This will prevent it from going lumpy and
sticking to the bottom of the milk pan, 

Still on a gentle heat and carry on stirring for
about 3-6 minutes, until sahlep mixture comes
 to a thick, silky consistency, 

Lastly pour sahlep drink into mugs,
garnish with plenty of cinnamon and
serve straight away. 

Ingredients:

• 400 or 500 ml / 2 cups of cold whole milk or equivalent,
• 1 Teaspoon of pure sahlep powder,
• 2 Teaspoons of granulated sugar,
• 1/2 Teaspoon of ground cinnamon for sahlep mixture, (optional),
• 1/2 Teaspoon of ground cinnamon for garnish,

Preparation:

1. First of all, put your all ingredients on the work table. Then put the pure sahlep powder, granulated sugar and ground cinnamon into a small milk pan. Then pour in the cold milk into the milk pan and mix all ingredients really well. 
2. Then, on low heat, while stirring continuously with a whisk or a spoon, bring the milk and sahlep mixture to boil. The most important thing in the preparation of this drink is that it must be continuously stirred. This will prevent it from going lumpy and sticking to the bottom of the milk pan. 
3. Still on a gentle heat and carry on stirring for about 3–6 minutes, until the sahlep mixture comes to a thick, silky consistency. 
4. Lastly pour sahlep drink into mugs, garnish with plenty of cinnamon and serve straight away.

Enjoy! 

Please let us know how this "Homemade Turkish Sahlep Drink (Sıcak Salep)'s Recipe" turns out for you in the comments. We are always so eager to hear from you.

Sahlep Recipe 

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