North Africa · Dessert
Roz bil-Laban (Egyptian Creamy Rice Pudding Scented with Mastic)
Silky Egyptian rice pudding simmered in buffalo milk, perfumed with ground mastic and rose water, and chilled under a golden pistachio crown.
The story
Roz bil-Laban is ubiquitous across Egyptian cities, savoured everywhere from historic Cairo dairy shops (al-alban) to family Friday lunches. Traditionally prepared with rich local water buffalo milk (gamoosi milk), it yields a uniquely velvety curd and prized wrinkled top skin upon cooling. The technical secret lies in bruising natural mastic resin with a pinch of sugar to dissolve smoothly into hot dairy without turning bitter or gummy.
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