Lebanese moghli: the spiced pudding that celebrates a new baby

When a baby is born in a Lebanese family, moghli (مغلي, also spelled meghli) is usually not far behind. It’s a smooth, brown rice pudding, spiced with caraway, anise and cinnamon, poured into small cups and topped with coconut and soaked nuts. Family and visitors are served a cup when they come to congratulate the parents.

What gives moghli its taste

• Caraway (karawya): the main flavour, warm and slightly aniseed-like. It also gives the pudding its brown colour.
• Anise: a sweet, liquorice note.
• Cinnamon: warmth and aroma.
• Rice flour: thickens the pudding without eggs or milk.
• Sugar: traditional moghli is clearly sweet.

Moghli from scratch (about 10 cups)

General home recipe; test once in your kitchen before publishing.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 to 1¼ cups sugar, to taste
• 1 tablespoon ground caraway
• 1 teaspoon ground anise
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 7 to 8 cups cold water
• To serve: grated coconut, plus walnuts, almonds, pistachios and pine nuts soaked in water for a few hours (Daaboul nuts)

Method

1. In a large pot, whisk the rice flour, sugar and spices into the cold water until no lumps remain.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon, until it starts to bubble.
3. Lower the heat and keep stirring for 20 to 30 minutes, until the pudding thickly coats the spoon.
4. Pour into small cups or bowls and let it cool to room temperature, then chill.
5. Before serving, cover the top with coconut and arrange the soaked nuts on it.

Moghli with a ready mix

A ready moghli mix already contains the rice flour and spices in balance, so you only add water and stir. Daaboul Sons Moghli comes in a packet. Follow the water amount and cooking time printed on the pack.

Tips for smooth moghli

• Always start with cold water, so the rice flour doesn’t form lumps.
• Don’t stop stirring. Moghli catches on the bottom of the pot easily.
• It thickens more as it cools, so take it off the heat when it is a little looser than you want.
• Soak the nuts the night before. They turn tender and pale, which is the traditional look.

How long does moghli keep?

As a general guide, cover the cups and keep them in the fridge, and eat them within about three days. Add the coconut and nuts on the day you serve.

Order moghli for your celebration

Preparing cups for a new baby? Ask us on WhatsApp at +961 78 827 365 about Daaboul Sons Moghli and nuts in the quantities you need.