Sago with coconut, orange and muscovado syrup

Viva 29/7/2009

Amanda Laird

Your
Rating:

Ratings: No ratings yet

Serves 4

Sago, which I know sends shivers of horror down many people's spines. Having eaten the Malaysian "gula melaka", a gloriously addictive combination of sago, coconut and palm sugar, I can't understand why so many hate it. Give this recipe a go and ideas of frogs' eggs may be banished forever.

Ingredients

2 tbsp	Sago
1 cup	Caster sugar
400 ml	Coconut milk, (plus an extra 2 tbsp to spoon over before serving)
1	Cinnamon stick
2	Oranges
2 tbsp	Muscavado sugar
2 tbsp	Water
2 tbsp	Desiccated coconut

Directions

Simmer the sago very gently in a saucepan with the sugar, coconut milk and cinnamon stick. Add the zest of one orange and stir until the sago becomes nearly transparent.
Cover and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes or until transparent when you remove the lid.
Peel and segment the oranges.
Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan then simmer until syrupy.
Spoon the sago into dishes and top with extra coconut milk, toasted coconut and a drizzle of muscovado syrup. Serve the oranges on the side.

CHEF'S TIP When making the syrup for the sago, muscovado sugar can be substituted with palm or brown sugar.