Salep, also spelled sahlep or sahlab, is a flour made from the tubers of the orchid genus Orchis (including species Orchis mascula and Orchis militaris). These tubers contain a nutritious, starchy polysaccharide called glucomannan.

In Turkey, salep is valued not only for its delightful taste but for its health benefits. It's said to relieve chest congestion and bronchitis, be good for the heart, increase energy levels and sexual desire. It's also believed to relieve constipation.

The beverage sahlab is now often made with hot milk instead of water. Other desserts are also made from salep flour, including salep pudding and dondurma. 

Salep is also consumed in Greece, and it is usually sold on the streets as a hot beverage during the cold months of the year. It is very popular in many parts of the Middle East, especially the Levant. Families in Turkey drink the hot version during the winter time.

In the Middle East, "sahlab" is a hot milk-based winter drink with a pudding-like consistency, sometimes garnished with nuts and cinnamon.

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