Sago Porridge

Sago Porridge

If I had to list dishes that immediately take me back to my childhood this would definitely be in the top 5. My grandmother used to make this when I was a child and when she passed away in my teens, many years passed before I had sago again. I was too young and not interested enough in cooking back then to know what she was using to flavor her sago porridge but many years later, testing the recipe for myself I was certain that 3 spices that made their way into that dish for sure were clove, bay leaf and nutmeg. Now I know from jump that this will be a very polarizing recipe. People either love sago or hate it but I feel like the people who hated it as children and never bothered to try it again as adults should give this recipe a try again.

There are different approaches to making sago, some recipes say to soak it in water until the tapioca pearls get plump. Others say never to cook it on high heat or too low. All these different rules might lead you to believe that its a complicated process but it really isn’t.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 cup tapioca pearls or sago
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 grains of whole clove
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• salt & sugar to taste

Method:

1. Add room temperature water to a pot
2. Add sago, cloves, bay leaf and season with salt to taste
3. Bring to a simmer on medium heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, keep stirring as the mixture thickens.
4. Add milk and nutmeg and sweeten to taste.
5. Cook for another 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture has reached the desired consistency
6. Serve warm topped with freshly grated nutmeg or spice of choice.
7. Enjoy