Since having Hannah, my mom has been encouraging me to drink up my moghat, just as she did when I had Adam. And what exactly is this drink, you may ask? Well, I had the same question. Moghat (“moe-gat“) is commonly used in Egypt by women who have just given birth in order to promote lactation. According to Wikipedia, its scientific name is Glossostemon bruguieri, and it’s a shrub with thick, long tapering roots found in Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Morocco. The dried peeled roots are what’s used in traditional medicine and for nutritional value. It is believed that the use of this root can be traced back to Pharaonic times. (cite)
I haven’t seen moghat sold here in the US, although I did find it on Amazon. My mom gave me some of her stash, which she got from my aunt when she came to visit from Egypt. It comes in the form of a bright yellow powder which is the dried and ground root mixed with a variety of spices such as turmeric, ginger, fenugreek and cinnamon. It makes for a yummy hot drink which would be perfect during the winter (and not just post-baby). If you’re interested in giving it a shot, here’s the recipe below. Let me know if you try it and what you think!
- 1 tablespoon of clarified butter
- 1 heaping tablespoon of moghat powder
- 1 cup of hot water OR milk
- 1 tablespoon of sugar (more or less, to taste)
- 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of shredded coconut (optional)
- Melt the butter on medium heat in a saucepan.
- Add in the sesame seeds and saute.
- Add in the moghat powder and stir constantly for a few seconds. It will clump up, which is what it should look like.
- After slightly browning the powder, add in your water (or milk), sugar and shredded coconut. Stir for a couple minutes and allow it to thicken.
- Pour into serving cups and enjoy!
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