Sagu

Ingredients

Sago

• 150 gsmall sago pearls
• water, for soaking and boiling

Milk base

• 1 litrewhole milk
• 150 gcaster sugar
• a pinch of salt

To flavour

• a good pinch of saffron, steeped in warm milk
• 1 tspground cardamom
• 1 tbsprosewater
• 1 tsporange blossom water, if wanted

To enrich

• 100 mlevaporated milk
• 2 tbspghee, if wanted

To finish

• chopped pistachios
• dried rose petals
• toasted almonds

To serve

• warm, at iftar
• or chilled

Directions

1. Rinse the sago pearls in cold water. Cover them with cold water and soak them for thirty minutes. Drain the soaked pearls thoroughly. Unsoaked pearls take far longer and cook unevenly. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. There should be far more water than pearls.
2. Add the drained pearls and stir immediately. Stir for the first minute so they do not stick to the bottom. Simmer them for about ten minutes. Look at one closely: there should be no white dot in the centre.
3. Keep cooking until every pearl is clear throughout. Turn the heat off and cover the pot. Let them sit for another five minutes. Draining and rinsing them stops them clumping.
4. Pour them out into a fine sieve. Rinse them briefly under cold water. Drain them thoroughly once again. Preparing the saffron is done in advance. Crush the saffron threads between your fingers. Steep them in a few tablespoons of warm milk for fifteen minutes.
5. Put the milk, sugar and salt in a heavy pan. Heat it gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Bring it up to a very bare simmer. Do not let it boil, since milk catches and boils over easily.
6. Add the drained sago pearls to the milk. Simmer it gently for ten minutes. Stir it regularly, since it catches on the bottom. Add the saffron milk and the cardamom. It should be thick but still pourable.
7. Take the pan off the heat entirely. Stir in the rosewater and orange blossom water. Stir in the evaporated milk and the ghee if using. Taste it and adjust the sugar. Serving it is done warm or cold. Spoon it out into small bowls. Scatter chopped pistachios and rose petals over the top. It is most often served warm at iftar.

Technique

• Cook the pearls until no white dot remains in the centre, since a white centre means raw.
• Rinse the cooked pearls, or they set into a solid mass.
• Add the rosewater off the heat, as heat drives off its aroma.

Substitutions

• Tapioca pearls in place of sago, which behave much the same.
• Evaporated milk for a richer pudding.

Variations

• Served chilled rather than warm.
• With coconut milk in place of some of the dairy.
• With more saffron for a deeper colour.

History

Sago arrived through Indian Ocean trade; the warm pudding is served at iftar and family gatherings.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sagu?

Sagu is a dessert from United Arab Emirates: sago pearl pudding with saffron, cardamom and rosewater. Sago arrived through Indian Ocean trade; the warm pudding is served at iftar and family gatherings.

How long does Sagu take to make?

Sagu takes 10 min plus 30 min soaking of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Sagu?

Yes, within limits. Tapioca pearls in place of sago, which behave much the same. Evaporated milk for a richer pudding.

What is the most important thing to get right in Sagu?

Add the drained pearls and stir immediately. Stir for the first minute so they do not stick to the bottom. Simmer them for about ten minutes. Look at one closely: there should be no white dot in the centre.