Mango Sago Pudding with Gula Melaka

Sago pudding with gula melaka, or sago gula melaka, is a much-loved dessert in Asia, and it is not difficult to see why. Smooth sago pearls like crystal beads, drizzled with rich golden gula melaka (palm  sugar) syrup and a fitting dash of creamy coconut milk - in other words, the stuff that dreams are made of. This delicacy is usually severely overpriced at restaurants and eateries, when it can be made and savored at home for under S$10. So need a quick fix to that sweet tooth of yours? Here’s your answer.

Ingredients:
1. 200g of Sago
2. 200g of Plum Sugar (Gula Melaka)
3. 25g of Rock Sugar
4. 3 to 5 Screwpine (Pandan) Leaves
5. Salt
6. 1 Cinnamon Stick
7. Water
8. Mango (cut into cubes)
9. Coconut milk

Serves 8

Methods:

1. Boil 3 parts of water to 1 part of sago with a pinch of salt and cinnamon stick.

2. Add in sago when the water starts to boil. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cover and let it stand for 10 minutes. Use an additional 5 minutes if some sago is still opaque.

3. Strain sago under tap water to wash off excess starch.

4. Spoon sago onto ramekins. Make sure it is well packed. Place them in the fridge till set.

5. Tie screwpine leaves into a bundle. Place it into a pot, followed by palm sugar and 250ml of water. Cook until palm sugar is fully dissolved.

6. Taste-test the syrup and add in preferred amount of rock sugar. Cook till rock sugar is dissolved. Remove screwpine leaves and pour into a container to let it chill.

7. Pop pudding out from the ramekin and spoon syrup and coconut milk onto the pudding. Lastly, top it with mango cubes. Ready to serve!