Sago or 'sabudana' has been used in Indian cooking since time immemorial. It is obtained by crushing the roots of cassava plant (a type of starchy root vegetable) or obtained from the spongy centre of tropical palm stems. In India, it forms a part of diet for Hindus who observe fast on multiple religious occasions. But did you know that sago is also famous all over South-east Asia, South America and Brazil? It was the Portuguese and Spanish traders and colonizers who made sago widely popular by carrying it across several continents. Sago is rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. These are small, round, white solid pearls which turn opaque and translucent once cooked. The largest supplies of sago are usually sent from South-east Asia, particularly Indonesia and Malaysia to the European and American countries.
In India, sago is cooked in milk and sugar to make sweet sago pudding or soaked and cooked in water to make 'sabudana khichadi/sabudana pulav' or made into fritters mixed with peanuts and herbs served with a coriander dip. I have made a version of sago which is famous all over South-east Asia with slight variations. The sago is first washed to remove the excess starch and boiled in water till cooked and the water is evaporated. It is then cooled and mixed either with milk or coconut milk or a blend of both, flavoured with pandan or vanilla and sweetened with sugar or honey. Mango and sago is a type of contemporary Hong Kong dessert which is also eaten in other Chinese provinces as well as Taiwan.
My mother picked up some sago while grocery shopping this time along with some mangoes which were probably the last of this season. On seeing it, I immediately thought of ditching the traditional sago pudding which my mom makes for this delectable South-east Asian dessert - Mango and sago. Though both are puddings but the way they are cooked brings a lot of difference to the dessert. My mom's sago pudding is heavier and sweeter more like 'kheer' as it is cooked in milk whereas, my mango and sago pudding is light, fruity and perfect as a chilled dessert for unbearable summers. Some sago pudding recipes use pomello along with mangoes as well.
Mangoes are almost out of season and I wanted to make sure I used it in all ways possible. Aren't mangoes the best thing about summer? I am sure you would agree. I have used the 'chaunsa' variety of mango for this dessert. "Chaunsa" also known as 'the king of mangoes' is famous for its aromatic, pleasant and sweet flavor, some even consider it the best mango because of its rich aroma, sweet taste, juicy pulp and high nutritional value. It has a golden-yellow color when it is ripe and is almost fiberless. Chaunsa season usually starts at the beginning of June and lasts throughout August making it the last mango score of the season. You can use any variety available in your area, more sweet and less fibrous variants will work best for this recipe.
This pudding is extremely light and fruity making it an ideal summer dessert. I have flavored it with vanilla and coconut cream and used honey to sweeten it slightly. The coconut and mango adds so much extra fruity and natural sweetness to this dish along with textural dimensions making it luscious and creamy. The non-fibrous mango pulp and gelatinized sago pearls soaked in milk, flavoured with coconut milk and vanilla is a tropical match made in heaven plus it is sugar free and healthy.
This is a very easy recipe to make with a few ingredients only. It is so easy that you can make it along with your kids for a fun-filled kitchen activity day. The only critical part in this recipe is nailing the sago which I am sure you will be able to pull off like a pro if you follow the instructions correctly. I thought of putting this recipe up on my blog before the mango season officially comes to an end in India so that you could also give it a go.
Ingredients :
Sago - 200 gms
Water - 400 ml (or more)
Milk- 250 ml
Coconut Cream/Coconut Milk - 150 ml
Mango - Puree of 2 + 1 chopped (for garnish)
Honey - 2 tbsp (or more)
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Mint leaves - a few (for garnish)
Method :
1. Wash the sago a couple of times to remove the excess starch. In case the sago pearls you use are large make sure to soak them for half an hour at least before cooking and drain the liquid. Mine were tiny sized so I skipped the soaking.
2. Bring the water to boil and add the sago. Cook stirring occasionally on medium flame. In about 20 minutes the water will evaporate completely and the sago will be cooked. It will represent an opaque, translucent gelatin ball. Cool and press one pearl in between your fingers to check if cooked or not, it will smash easily if cooked. If not, add some more water and cook till done.
3. Allow the cooked sago pearls to cool down. Once cooled, add boiled and chilled milk, chilled coconut cream to it along with vanilla and honey. You can adjust the quantity of honey as per your liking. Give this a good mix. Let it chill in the refrigerator.
4. Using an electric bender make a puree of 2 mangoes and chop 1 mango into small dices.
5. Take 6 dessert glasses and layer with the pureed mangoes followed by a layer of cooked sago and milk pudding. Top this with diced mangoes and mint leaves. Serve chilled.
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