Başak Sakızlı Muhallebi is a powder mix for muhallebi, the smooth milk pudding found in Turkish pastry shops, here flavoured with mastic. The 150 g pouch carries the English line 'Pudding with Gum-Mastic', is marked as a powder mix and states 4-6 servings, which is about right for a family dessert.
Mastic (sakız) is the fragrant resin long associated with the Aegean, and in muhallebi it brings a cool, faintly pine-like aroma that sets the pudding apart from the plain vanilla kind. Make it as the instructions on the pouch describe; muhallebi mixes are usually cooked with milk over a medium heat, stirred until thick and then poured into bowls to cool and set in the fridge. Serve it well chilled, either plain or finished with crushed pistachios, a pinch of cinnamon or a spoonful of fruit syrup.
Keep the pouch sealed in a cool, dry place. The picture on the front is a serving suggestion; please read the ingredient and allergen panel on the pack before serving.