24 Jan 11 (Mon) - Steamed Sago Cake

Bought a packet of pearl sago some time back and didn't have a chance to cook it. Didn't want to make the usual sago melaka and hence surf the internet to look for other recipes that make used of pearl sago. Found a few that use the steaming method and so finally tried it out yesterday.

The recipe said to steam the sago at high heat and so I did but the water boiled and overflowed into the sago cake. Tried to salvage by scooping out the extra water and steamed using low heat. So instead of steaming on high heat for 30 mins, I used low heat for 1 hr. Waited for it to cool and tried to cut it. Sago still stuck to the knife and the cake was very soft. Guess it was due to the extra water that was why the cake didn't manage to set firmly.

Was eager to try it out and so opened the packet of grated coconut, add some salt to it and coated the four pieces of sago cake with coconut before eating. Didn't taste too bad. So used cling wrap to wrap up the rest of the cake and put it in the microwave oven and put the grated coconut back into the fridge. This morning woke up earlier than usual to warm the grated coconut before cutting and coating the sago cake with it and transported them to office.

The feedbacks were generally good. KC said it was a bit too sweet while EL said it was just nice. PN said she likes the texture of the cake, KH said it was too soft and the rest said it was yummy.

Sago cake before coating with grated coconut

Sago cake after coating with grated coconut

Steamed Sago Cake

Ingredients:
335ml water
85g sugar
125g palm sugar (gula melaka)
3-4 screwpine (pandan) leaves, washed and tied into a knot
250g pearl sago, washed and soaked for 30 mins
1 packet of grated coconut
pinch of salt

Method:
1.  Bring water, sugar, palm sugar and screw pine leaves to a boil in a pot, stirring until sugar is dissolved
2.  Strain syrup back into pot and discard screw pine leaves.
3.  Drain soaked sago and add to syrup
4.  Stir over low heat until mixture is slightly thickened
5.  Pour mixture into an 18-cm square cake tin and steam for 1 hr over low heat
6.  Insert a skewer into the centre of cake. If skewer comes out clean, the cake is ready
7.  Leave cake to cool before cutting into bite-size pieces
8.  Roll sago pieces in grated coconut flesh with a small pinch of salt added