Tuesday 12 December 2023

Nyonya Kueh Sago (Tapioca Pearl Cake)





Tapioca sago pearls are one of the common Southeast Asia ingredients and are used in all manner of desserts. This kuih sago is naturally vegan, and a very easy entry-level kueh to make at home!

Kuih sago is a common nyonya kuih (snack/dessert) found all over Malaysia & Singapore. This kuih uses only a few ingredients. The main ingredients is sago and another important ingredients is pandan. Ideally, you would use fresh pandan leaves, but you can use pandan paste if you can't find the fresh leaf.
The top layer is infused with gula melaka (palm sugar) to give it's brownish colour. Supremely soft and bouncy with chewy goodness of lightly salted grated coconut in every bite. 


Ingredients:
  • 350g sago/tapioca pearls
  • some banana leaves
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 7" square baking pan
Pandan layer:
  • 50g fresh grated coconut
  • 40ml pandan juice
  • 35ml thick coconut milk
  • 75g sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
Gula Melaka layer:
  • 50g fresh grated coconut
  • 40ml gula melaka syrup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 150g fresh grated coconut
  • 2 knotted pandan leaves
  • ¼ tsp salt
Method:

Clean and grease banana leaf with cooking oil. Use it to line the baking pan. 

Rinse sago pearls to remove starch, drain and soak in water for 30 minutes. Then drain the soaking water and divide into 2 equal portions.

For the pandan sago layer: Mix together the soaked sago pearls, grated coconut, pandan juice, coconut milk, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Spread the mixture evenly in the baking pan. Steam over medium-high heat for 15-18minutes.

In the meantime, prepare gula melaka sago layer. Mix together the soaked sago pearls, grated coconut, gula melaka syrup, coconut milk and salt in a mixing bowl. Then pour the gula melaka mixture on top of the steamed pandan sago layer. Spread with spatula evenly. Steam over medium-high heat for another 15-18 minutes.

Leave the kuih to cool completely before cutting.

Mix the additional fresh grated coconut with salt. Steam with knotted pandan leaves for 10 minutes and let it cool completely.

Grease a knife with cooking oil to cut the kuih into bite-sized pieces. Coat the kuih evenly with steamed grated coconut and serve.



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