Sago Gula Melaka

A popular dessert in Malaysia where I first came across it. It may sound a little strange but tastes really good. A great dessert for a Malaysian or Asian themed dinner party. I got this recipe from a cooking magazine I bought in....Malaysia!!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 200  g pearl sago
• 800  ml water
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 100  g palm sugar (gula melaka)
• 2  tablespoons water
• 250  ml  thick coconut milk

Directions

1. Wash sago well and soak in water for a few minutes.
2. Strain the sago, bring 800ml water to the boil and add sago.
3. Stir constantly with a whisk until sago turns transparent.
4. Drain and rinse with cold water.
5. Add the sugar and salt and mix well.
6. Spoon into individual serving glasses and chill in the refridgerator.
7. Shave palm sugar into a saucepan and melt over a low heat with 2 tablespoons water.
8. To serve, spoon some of the palm sugar syrup and coconut milk over the chilled sago in layers.
9. Serve the extra syrup and milk on the table to add as you're eating.
10. This is a great malaysian dessert often served in restaurants in Malaysia.
11. Palm sugar is dark brown and crumbly-- also known as jaggery or gur-- it is made from the reduced sap of either the sugar palm or the palmyra palm.
12. Try to find the real stuff as you can't really substitute.
13. Pearl sago is a starch extracted from the sago and other tropical palms which is similar to tapico.
14. When it's cooked it looks like little translucent balls.