Mehalabiya is a creamy Arabian dessert, in many ways similar to the French blancmange. It is made with a mixture of milk and sugar, cooked and thickened with rice flour or cornstarch, and usually flavored with orange blossom or rose water.
While hot, it is distributed in smaller molds, left to set, and it is then served cold. This simple and satisfying dessert is eaten in slightly different forms across the Arabian Peninsula, Middle East, and North Africa. Depending on the region, it can be garnished with typical local ingredients such as pistachios, almonds, shredded coconut, cinnamon, or raisins.