Sago Pearls with Coconut Milk and Palm Sugar

Name: Sago Pearls with Coconut Milk and Palm Sugar (Gula Melaka)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Malaysia
Ingredients: 1½ cups (150 g) dried sago pearls; ¼ teaspoon pandanus extract or 3 pandanus leaves, tied in a knot; ¼ teaspoon pandanus extract or 3 pandanus leaves, tied in a knot; 12 cups (3 litres) water; 1 cup (250 ml) Palm Sugar Syrup (see note); 1½ cups (375 ml) coconut cream; Mint leaves, to garnish (optional)

Gula Melaka

Preparation info

Serves
6-8

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
25 min

Appears in

The Food of Malaysia

By Wendy Hutton

Published 2022

About

Smooth sago pearls bathed in creamy coconut milk and golden brown Palm Sugar Syrup make this one of Malaysia’s best-loved desserts. The name literally means “Malacca Sugar”, although palm sugar (also known as gula merah or “red sugar”) is made throughout the country.

Ingredients

1½ cups (150 g) dried sago pearls
¼ teaspoon pandanus extract

Asia
Malaysia
Dessert
Vegan
Gluten-free

Method

Rinse the sago pearls and place in a pot with the pandanus extract or pandanus leaves. Add the water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 15 minutes. If using pandanus leaves, remove and discard them. Remove the pot from the heat, cover and set aside for 5 minutes.
Drain the sago pearls, discarding the water. Rinse the sago under cold running water and dra