What is Sago? If you are not familiar with these translucent chewy pearls, they are made from palm stems and the texture is spongy and by itself, there is not much taste.
It was only recently that I discovered that Sago actually helps to reduce high blood pressure and promote healthy blood flow to the heart as they contain a decent amount of potassium.
Used mainly in Southeast Asian desserts, they are most commonly used in making mango sago. I love to add them into Chinese dessert soups like red/green bean soup.
Cooking sago requires boiling water. If you cook them in cold or lukewarm water, you’ll end up with a goopy mess of sticky starch.
Ingredients:
80g sago pearls
1000 ml water
makes 6 servings
In a medium pot, bring water to boil.
Add in sago pearls, give it a stir and turn down heat.
Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 15 mins, until the sago are almost translucent. Turn off heat and let it sit for another 10 mins.
It is okay if there are still small specks of white in the sago. They will continue to cook further in the residue heat.
Drain in a sieve and rinse with cool water to remove excess starch.
Transfer into a bowl or container. Cooked sago keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days.