☕ Salep
Salep is a hot, thick winter drink made by whisking flour ground from dried orchid tubers into sweetened milk. The starch gives it a smooth, almost custard-like body. It is poured into cups and dusted with ground cinnamon, and is sold in cafés and by street vendors in Turkey and the Levant on cold days.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 ml milk
- 2 tsp salep powder
- 2 tbsp sugar
- Ground cinnamon to serve
Method
- Mix the salep powder with the sugar so it does not form lumps.
- Whisk the mixture into cold milk in a saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, and cook for 5–10 minutes until thick.
- Pour into cups and dust with cinnamon.
How to make it lighter
- Make it with semi-skimmed milk for fewer calories.
- Reduce the sugar to 1 tbsp per two cups: 1 tsp sugar ≈ 16 kcal.
- Treat a cup as a snack or dessert rather than an extra alongside one.
History
Salep has been drunk in the Ottoman lands for centuries, and a similar drink called saloop was once sold in England. Because wild orchids are protected in Turkey, genuine salep powder is expensive, and many instant mixes use cornflour and flavourings instead.
Count it in one photo
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →