Ingredients
Making black pearl sago requires a few simple ingredients. It requires tapioca pearls, sago, coconut milk, sugar, pandan leaves, and food coloring. All of these ingredients help to create the sweet and fluffy texture that makes this dessert so delicious. Let’s get started by taking a look at each ingredient:
- Tapioca pearls
- Sago
- Coconut milk
- Sugar
- Pandan leaves
- Food coloring
Black pearl sago
Black pearl sago is a type of fruity dessert that is popular in Southeast Asia. It’s made with black tapioca pearls, coconut milk, and colored fruits of your choice. It’s easy to make and requires just a few ingredients. Here’s how to make this delicious treat from the comfort of your own kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked black tapioca pearls (also called “black pearls” or “sago”)
- 3 ½ cups canned coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pandan extract (optional)
- 2 tablespoons agar agar powder (this helps thicken the mixture and can be found in most Asian supermarkets)
- Assorted colors of fruits like blueberries, nuts, cherries, or any type of berry you prefer (optional)
Instructions:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cooked black pearl sago, coconut milk, brown sugar, pandan extract and agar agar powder and bring mixture to a boil while stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes while stirring regularly until mixture has thickened slightly. Adjust sweetener if desired by adding a bit more sugar or honey as needed until desired sweetness level is reached.
- Once done simmering off the heat add in chopped fruits of choice if desired and mix well until combined then pour into serving bowls or cups for individual portions. Allow to cool completely before serving chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Water
Water is one of the most important components when it comes to making black pearl sago. It’s essential for boiling the sago pearls and to mix in with the sugar once they’ve finished cooking. The amount of water used will vary depending on the recipe you’re following, but as a general rule of thumb, it should cover the sago pearls by about 2 centimetres (0.8 inches).
To ensure your black pearl sago gets evenly cooked and doesn’t become gluey or clump together, make sure you use enough water and stir the mixture constantly while boiling. Once you have combined your other ingredients with your boiled sago pearls, you will need to add a few tablespoons of cold or luke warm water to give it that glossy sheen so typical of this dessert.
Sugar
Sugar is an important ingredient for making black pearl sago and there are several types which can be used. Granulated sugar can be used, as well as brown and caster sugar depending on the desired sweetness level. Caster sugar has a finer texture than granulated and is ideal for creating a smooth texture to the finished dessert. Brown sugar is made from mixing together white granulated sugar with molasses giving it a deeper flavor profile and darker color. Darker sugars will give the finished dish a darker color.
The amount of sugar added is ultimately to personal taste, so adjust amounts as preferred when preparing this dish.
Preparation
Preparing black pearl sago for your next dish is relatively simple and requires few ingredients. Before you begin preparing your sago, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients ready. After gathering all the necessary ingredients, you can start the preparation process.
This section will provide a detailed guide on how to make black pearl sago for your next dish:
Rinse the sago
Rinsing the sago is an important step in making sure that your black pearl sago dish comes out perfectly. In a bowl, rinse the sago several times with cold water until the water runs clear. Soaking the sago helps to remove excess starch and also helps to reduce cooking time.
Before draining, check that all the sago pearls have softened to a smooth texture. Ensure that no hard lumps remain in your sago before using again.
Once rinsed and soaked, drain the liquid from your bowl and set aside for later use:
- Rinse the sago several times with cold water until the water runs clear.
- Check that all the sago pearls have softened to a smooth texture.
- Ensure that no hard lumps remain in your sago before using again.
- Drain the liquid from your bowl and set aside for later use.
Boil the sago in water
To make black pearl sago, start by bringing a pot of water to a boil over medium to high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the sago pearls and stir gently for approximately 10 minutes. To ensure that the sago is cooked through, inspect it often during the cooking process. It’s important to stir the sago pearls so that they don’t stick together or clump.
When the pearls are ready, they will turn completely transparent in color and have a soft and tender texture. Drain the sago using a colander or fine mesh strainer and rinse them with cold water to stop them from cooking any further. Allow the sago pearls to cool before proceeding with any additional preparations.
Add sugar to taste
Once you have prepared your black pearl sago, it is time to add sugar to taste. Depending on the sweetness of the fruit you are using, you may need to add more or less sugar. If the fruit is naturally sweet like mango or pineapple, then less sugar may be needed. However, if using jackfruit or guava then you may need more sugar for a sweeter dessert.
Before adding any sugar, try a little bit of your sago and adjust from there. Remember that after refrigerating your sago will become firmer so it’s best to test the sweetness before refrigerating it. Once you have determined the sweetness you are after, simply stir in the desired amount of sugar until incorporated. Refrigerate your sago until chilled before serving and garnish with chilli and spring onions if desired.
Cooking
Making the black pearl sago is a simple, yet delicious, dessert that’s perfect to serve during the holidays or any special occasion. The sago becomes even more special when you top it with creamy coconut milk and a handful of colorful tapioca pearls.
In this guide, we’ll walk through every step to make this delicious dish. Let’s start with the basics:
Simmer the sago until it is soft
Simmer the sago in boiling water for 20 minutes until it is soft. Depending on the size, it can take a little longer. Make sure to stir and check your sago periodically during cooking, especially towards the end. Smaller sizes will be softer than larger sizes and require less cooking time.
Keep in mind that smaller pearls will turn to mush more quickly and longer cooking times are recommended for larger pearls so that they don’t break apart in the pot.
When the sago is cooked, strain out any excess water through a colander or strainer. Allow it to cool before continuing with your recipe.
Stir the sago to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan
Stir the sago constantly while it is cooking to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. This can be done by stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula. If you don’t stir, the sago will stick to the bottom and burn, which will ruin your dish and make it taste bitter.
It is important to note that stirring does not speed up cooking time; in fact, it doesn’t affect cooking time. The only purpose of stirring is to prevent sticking and burning. When cooked correctly, black pearl sago should be light, fluffy, and white in color. The best way to test if your black pearl sago is cooked correctly is by tasting a bit that has cooled down. It should have an almost sweet taste when cooked correctly.
Cook until the sago is translucent
Once the water has reached a rolling boil, add the black pearl sago. Gently stir the mixture and reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking for about 30 minutes until most of the sago pearls become translucent. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking. Note that the cooking time will vary; depending on the variety and size of sago pearls you are using. Once cooked, turn off heat and let simmer for 10 more minutes to allow residual heat to cook any remaining tan-colored beads until they turn as transparent as possible.
Serving
Serving black pearl sago is a great way to finish off a delicious meal. This dish is easy to make and can be served warm or cold. You can choose to serve it plain, or add fruit or your favorite toppings.
Let’s get into the details of how to serve black pearl sago:
Serve the sago with your desired toppings
Once the black pearl sago is fully cooked, it’s time to choose what toppings you want to serve with your freshly made dessert. You can serve the sago either cold or warm depending on the kind of toppings you would like to put on.
One way of serving the black pearl sago is with fruits such as mangoes, strawberries and kiwis mixed together with some mint leaves and a few drops of fresh lime juice.
Other popular topping combinations include:
- Adding pandan paste, coconut milk and sugar syrup to give it a nice sweetness.
- Adding ground peanuts, chopped pandan leaves, mung bean jelly and even Hong Kong-style fried egg waffles for some crunchy texture.
Be creative with your topping options! If you’re feeling adventurous, try combining different flavors and textures together so that they all complement each other nicely in each spoonful.
Enjoy!
Congratulations on creating a delicious black pearl sago! You can serve this traditional Chinese dessert right away, or you can also leave it to chill in the fridge.
For a special treat, top your sago with fresh fruit such as mangoes and raspberries, or add a scoop of ice cream. You can also garnish it with freshly cut coconut slices, shredded coconut flakes, crushed peanuts, boiling water roasted peanuts and/or walnuts.
Plain black pearl sago is a wonderful dessert that everyone will enjoy. Enjoy it by itself for a light snack or add your favorite toppings for an extra special treat!
