Maize starch is counted among the most important cereals in the world. In many countries, they are considered among the staple food of the country.

This starch has a number of health benefits owing to which they are consumed on an exclusive scale throughout the country.

In the food industry, the maize can be used for the determination of the texture of the food items.

Maize takes a short amount of time for forming various opaque pastes.

Thus the maize starch can be used for the thickening of the sauces, gravies and pudding.

The maize starch is also used for filling the food items. The maize starch, popularly known as corn starch is used in the baking industry on a large scale.

The use of starch makes the dough harder in nature and thus this starch is known to be the most suitable ones for the preparation of cakes.



Recipe for cypriot Mahalepi Dessert:

Ingredients: 6 cups of water, 6 heaped spoons of nisiaste (maize powdered starch), rose water or rose syrup, sugar.

Preparation:

-Put 5 cups of water in a pot and on fire. Put the 6th cup of water in a bowl and stir in the maize starch.

-Add this to the pot and stir constantly until it starts to bubble and thicken.

-Simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously.

-Rinse 6 small bowls under cold water (you need them to be wet).

-Put a scoop of mixture into each wet bowl.

-Allow to cool, then place bowls in the fridge.

-The next day, take a big bowl and fill it with cold water.

-Take your mahalepi bowls and tip each one out into the bowl with the water.

-Place back in the fridge and use when required.

-Serve each mahalepi in a bowl, sprinkled with a spoonful of sugar and a spoonful of rosewater.

-Rose syrup can be added too.

Tip: for extra fragrance and sweetness, add 4 tbsp rosewater and 2 tsp sugar in the 5 cups of water before boiling