Sahlep, Salep, Saloop, Sahleb, Sachlav?

[annaesm]

So we went to this hookah lounge in Astoria, Layali Beirut, and I had this warm milk-based drink. It was thick and sweet, and topped with chopped pistachios, some kind of spices, and had raisins inside. You can "drink" it with a spoon. The stuff is amazing! It's spelled "sahlep" on the menu.

I've been looking it up online, and apparently it's made with a powder of ground-up orchid roots.

So my question is two-fold:

1. Does anybody know of a reliably good recipe for the stuff?

2. Where can the powder be gotten?

Thanks!

Sorry, didn't mean to post this twice.

[Caroline1]

http://www.alibaba.com/catalog/109248...

[annaesm]

Thanks!

Have you tried this brand? I should have mentioned in the original post that one of the friends last night (who grew up in Israel, where they also have Salep), said she tried making it from a mix and it came out awful.

[ariellasdaddy]

Had the mix. Tasted like soap.