Sago pearls in coconut milk
ingredients
100g large sago pearls
1 litre water
50ml coconut milk
pinch of salt
eat with
30g palm sugar grated
50ml water
100ml coconut milk chilled (possibly more if you prefer)
Best to use a heavy-bottom saucepan for this so the sago does not stick to the bottom. Bring the water to a boil and add the sago pearls. Stir with a wooden spoon and pop the lid on. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the pearls. Stir every 10 minutes to make sure they do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
In the meantime, put the palm sugar and 50ml water in a saucepan. On moderate heat, stir until dissolved and strain through a sieve to remove any sediment and leave to cool.
When the sago is almost transparent all the way through, turn off the heat. Stir one more time and leave to cook in the residue heat with the lid on. After a further 30 minutes, pour into a colander and run cold water to stop the cooking process and rise away any stickiness. The pearls should be totally transparent when cooked through.
Transfer to a bowl and pour 50ml of coconut milk, sprinkle with salt and stir. This will keep the pearls separate and keep them pearly white.
Divide the sago between two glasses. Pour the coconut milk and palm sugar to taste. Best served chilled.
Serves: 2 Cooking time: 30-45 mins