Myanmar - Palm Sugar Sago (Thagu-Pyin)

Palm Sugar Sago  

(Thagu-Pyin)

Sago or tapioca is transformed from dullness by the fragrance of palm sugar. The burmese make something easier than the Goula Malacca served all over Southeast Asia as saga with palm-sugar syrup and coconut cream.

Ingredients

-       1 3/4 cups plus 1 cup water

-       1/2 teaspoon butter

-       1 heaping cup dry sago or tapioca

-       1 large or 1 1/2 pounds grated coconut

-       2 cups solid palm sugar OR 1 1/2 cups maple syrup

-       A pinch salt

Directions

-       Boil 1 3/4 cups water. Wash sago quickly; add to boiling water and stir.

-       Dissolve palm sugar in 1 cup heated water.

-       When sago begins to get transparent, strain in dissolved palm sugar (or add maple syrup).

-       Boil a few minutes more till sago is cooked through.

-       Pour into shallow buttered tray and let cool and set.

-       Grate coconut.

-       Add large pinch salt and mix into grated coconut.

-       Scoop out spoonfuls of set sago; roll in coconut till well covered