Malabi

Step 1

Pour 0.5 cup of milk into a small bowl, then sprinkle the cornstarch on top and stir with a fork until the cornstarch is completely dissolved with no lumps, about 30 seconds.

Step 2

Slice the strawberries lengthwise from the stem end through the tip into quarter-inch-thick slices, placing them on a plate as you finish each strawberry.

Step 3

Place the pistachios in a small plastic bag, seal it, and crush them with the bottom of a heavy cup into pieces the size of small peas, leaving some slightly larger for texture.

Step 4

Pour the remaining 1.5 cups of milk and 3 tablespoons of sugar into a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely, about 3 minutes.

Step 5

Once the milk is steaming (small bubbles form around the edge but it's not boiling), pour the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan while stirring constantly with a whisk to prevent lumps.

Step 6

Continue stirring with a whisk over medium heat until the pudding thickens to the consistency of heavy cream and coats the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes.

Step 7

Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of rose water, mixing until the aroma is evenly distributed throughout the pudding.

Step 8

Divide the warm pudding equally among four serving bowls or cups, pouring it so it fills each container about three-quarters full.

Step 9

Refrigerate the bowls until the pudding is completely chilled and set, about 6 hours, or until you are ready to serve.

Step 10

Just before serving, arrange the strawberry slices in a single layer across the top of each pudding, slightly overlapping them like roof shingles.

Step 11

Scatter the crushed pistachios evenly over the strawberries in a light, even layer that covers the surface.