Sehlab is a delicious winter drink made of milk, orchid powder and several delicious flavors and nuts. The word sehlab is borrowed from the Turkish salep denoting the drink and the orchid plant. The Turkish salep word is believed to be derived from an Arabic word, tha'lab, which is the name of the plant in Arabic.
Sehlab is a popular drink in many countries such as Turkey, Iran, Egypt, the Levant and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, especially Madinah in the latter.
Sahlab is a popular drink in Madinah. The drink is originally made from the roots of a wild plant that belongs to the orchis genus of perennial herbs, a sub-group of the orchidaceae family. It is extracted from the tubers of some orchid plants, the finest quality of which grows in Turkey and Iran.
The sahlab drink has many benefits because it contains proteins, colloids, volatile oil and minerals. It is a nutritious drink. Sugar also provides a certain number of calories. It is taken as a soothing agent in cases of infection. Adding nuts to the drink increases its nutritional value. Sahlab is sold in the market in the form of sachets of flavored powder. It is also sold as roots.
First, milk is boiled. Then, the mixture of starch, sugar, vanilla and blossom water are added. The mixture is left on the stove until it thickens and its savory aromatic smell spreads. Finally, it is decorated with cinnamon powder and fine nuts and served hot.
In winter, you will not have to search for the drink in Madinah because you will find it readily available in cafes, modern luxury restaurants and stalls in parks, walkways and shopping centers.
Ramadan iftar bread. Known for its amazing taste, sheriak comes in round loafs of bread coated in sesame, that are brittle from the outside and soft from the inside. It makes a part of the table of the people of Madinah, especially at the iftar table.
Manto is a popular dish in Madinah and the western region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The word is borrowed from the Persian word 'manto' which means wrapped filling.
