Sago Pudding

“All you need is Love;  but a little Dessert  now and then does’nt hurt”.

Valentines Day is here again.   And I’ve made nothing fancy this year;   though I had in mind a plan to have a Valentines Day Special Menu on the blog.   Sorry folks,  been neck deep in things that have kept me very busy.

For this year be content with this simple  ‘Sago Pudding’.  But remember that  it is the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary.

Happy Valentines Day to all our well wishers.

Recipe for Sago Pudding :

Serves: 10

10 cups water

200g pearl sago, soaked,  rinsed and drained

200g palm sugar (also known as gulamelaka),  or jaggery melted in 1/2 cup water over medium heat.

2-1/2  cups coconut milk

Directions

Soak the sago pearls in water for 30 minutes. Drain over a sieve.  Bring 10 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.  Gradually stir in the sago so that it does not clump. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.  Cook until the sago turns translucent, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.  Pour over a sieve, wash the pearls in cold running water till cold and drain again.

Warm the coconut milk and  gulamelaka syrup and when thickish add the sago and simmer on low heat. Refrigerate in individual containers.

Garnish with nuts.

Sabudana/Tapioca Pearls Khichdi

The health benefits of Sabudana (sago) are mainly in the carbohydrates it provides. Sabudana is made from the starch extracted from the pith (center) of the sago palm stems. The commercial production of sago is in the shape of small globules and are called Tapioca Pearls. Sabudana is full of starch or carbohydrates and is great for a quick boost of energy, and hence often served in India for breaking fasts during religious festivals. Sabudana gives you quick energy and is easy to digest and has an overall cooling effect on the system

Recipe :

1 cup Sabudana(sago)/Tapioca Pearls
½ cup peanuts
A handful of cashewnuts
½ cup Green peas
1 Potato – diced
1 tsp Sugar
2 Green Chillies chopped lengthwise
1 red chilly shredded
2 tablespoons ghee
1 onion (medium) sliced
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 Pinch Hing (asafoetida)
¼ cup grated fresh Coconut
2 tablespoons Lemon juice
Salt to taste
Few Coriander leaves
Few Curry Leaves

Wash the Sabudana in water 3-4 times and soak in roughly 1 cup water. Soak overnight or at least for 8- 10 hours. Every 2-3 hours, fluff it up with a fork or chopstick. After 8 hours each grain will fluff up and be separate. Test to check if it has soaked well and if you find any hard center, sprinkle with a little water and soak some more time till  it is all soft-centered and each sabudana/pearl is well shaped. The one cup Sabudana will by now double in volume.

Take a thick-bottomed/non-stick vessel and add ghee. Fry the Cashew nuts and peanuts and remove and keep aside. In the same pan add mustard seeds, red chilly and cumin seeds. When it splutters, add hing, green chillies, curry leaves and onion. Keep stirring till onion is wilted and gets a light brown tinge. Then add potatoes, sprinkle a few drops of water and cook till the potatoes are nearly done. Then add green peas, turmeric powder, salt and sugar and cook for a few minutes. Add the Sabudana and keep frying till it is well coated and the Sabudana Pearls turn translucent. This may take about 5 -8 minutes. Lastly add the fried peanuts, cashewnuts, grated coconut, lemon juice and coriander leaves and a few more curry leaves. Serve hot. Serves 4-5 persons.

Banana Tapioca Pearls with Coconut Cream

2 large bananas

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups water

1/2 cup tapioca pearls

1/4 cup sugar (or more as per liking)

2 cups coconut cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Select bananas that are not fully ripe (I used the Kerala ones). Peel the bananas and slice in half lengthwise then cut into chunks.  In a mixing bowl combine the bananas,  little salt and enough cold water to cover the bananas.  Set aside.  Bring water to boil in a pot over medium heat.  Add the Tapioca Pearls and cook, stirring occassionally, until the pearls and almost clear (say about 7-10 minutes).  Drain the bananas and add to the tapioca pearls.  Stir in the coconut cream and vanilla extract and more salt to taste (if needed).  Cook for a further 5-7 minutes.  This should be not too watery but somewhat like porridge consistency.   Serve warm,  garnished  with nuts of your choice.