“Gula Melaka is made by extracting the sap from the budding flower of a date, coconut or sago palm. The sap is boiled until it thickens, leaving a sticky sugar that is whipped and dropped in lumps on cellophane, or poured into containers, traditionally bamboo tubes, where it solidifies.” (Source: expatliving)
Are you a fan of Gula Melaka?
Gula Melaka has a complex flavor that lies somewhere in between deep caramel and mellow butterscotch. I think good quality Gula Melaka, in many ways, is probably tastier than caramel and butterscotch as it has a richer and smokier note.
The best Gula Melaka, naturally, comes from Melaka. But you can also buy them here in Singapore. I get mine from my dry goods guy at the wet market.
Today I was up really early. Some time during the night, Aden decided he wanted to sleep with Daddy and Mommy, so he crawled into bed with us. Then at about 5, Jadelyn, too, decided to crawl into bed. So I ended up sandwiched between the two kids. Yep, that went my sleep.
Since I was up at 5, I decided to make a dessert.
I wanted to cook sago. If you have never cooked sago before, or have failed in your attempt(s) at cooking sago, no worries. You can learn how to cook sago (successfully!) by following the steps I have listed below.
I was also craving for the taste of Gula Melaka, so I decided to make a dessert that combines sago, Gula Melaka and coconut milk. This, in my opinion, is always a winning combination!
This dessert is really delicious. The flavors of the lychee and pineapple mix really well with the gula melaka and coconut and creates this really more-ish taste.
It is seriously good – one of my students, who has no idea what Gula Melaka was, had a bowl and I could hear her muttering, “This is delicious!” as she was eating it! Even the LAM liked it. A big achievement, I’d say!
And so saying, here are the step-by-step instructions on how to cook this. (You have to try making this soon!)
Bring a HUGE pot of water (NOTE: Sago to Water ratio should be at least 1:7) to a rolling boil.
Pour all the sago into the water, reduce the heat to medium and WHISK CONSTANTLY for 10 minutes. You don’t have to use a lot of force, but you need to keep the sago moving so they do not stick and form into a lump.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat. At this stage, you will see that the sago still have little white dots inside. Cover the pot with a lid and leave this for about 5 minutes. The sago will continue cooking using the residual heat from the water.
Drain the sago and rinse them under running water to get rid of the extra starch.
Keep the sago submerged in clean water until you are ready to use.
Add the coconut milk into a sauce pan. Into this, add the vanilla bean paste (or the vanilla bean pod and seeds).
Also add the Gula Melaka.
Cook this over low heat, stirring constantly until all the Gula Melaka has melted. Do not allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil.
Drain the sago and add to the saucepan. If you used a vanilla pod, discard it.
Turn off the heat and stir until the sago is well-distributed.
Transfer this into an air-tight container and keep this in the fridge until it is completely chilled.
To serve, ladle into serving bowls, top with lychee and pineapple and garnish with some mint leaves if you like.
ON-GOING WORKSHOPS
Date: Saturday 21 January 2017
Workshop: Hands-on Butter Cookies, Salted Egg Yolks Cookies and Pineapple Tarts Workshop
Time: 2.30pm – 5.30pm
Venue: The Eureka Cooking Lab
Tickets Link > CLICK HERE
Date: Friday 10 February 2017
Workshop: Hands-on Bread Loaves and Buns Workshop
Time: 9.00am – 12.00pm
Venue: The Eureka Cooking Lab
Tickets Link > CLICK HERE
Date: Saturday 18 February 2017
Workshop: Hands-on Bread Loaves and Buns Workshop
Time: 2.30pm – 5.30pm
Venue: The Eureka Cooking Lab
Tickets Link > CLICK HERE
Date: Saturday 9 February 2017
Workshop: Hands-on Chiffon Cakes Workshop
Time: 9.00am – 12.00pm
Venue: The Eureka Cooking Lab
Tickets Link > CLICK HERE
Date: Saturday 18 February 2017
Workshop: Hands-on Chiffon Cakes Workshop
Time: 9.00am – 12.00pm
Venue: The Eureka Cooking Lab
Tickets Link > CLICK HERE
- 1/2 cup sago (tapioca pearls)
- 5 cups (1.2litres) water (for cooking sago)
- 400ml coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste, or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthways and scrape out the seeds
- 1/2 cup (130g) Gula Melaka, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 can (565g) lychee, drained
- 1 can (565g) pineapple, drained and cubed
- Mint leaves
- Bring a HUGE pot of water (NOTE: Sago to Water ratio should be about 1:7) to a rolling boil.
- Pour all the sago into the water, reduce the heat to medium and WHISK CONSTANTLY for 10 minutes. You don’t have to use a lot of force, but you need to keep the sago moving so they do not stick and form a lump.
- After 10 minutes, turn off the heat. At this stage, you will see that the sago still have little white dots inside. Cover the pot with a lid and leave this for about 5 minutes. The sago will continue cooking using the residual heat from the water.
- Drain the sago and rinse them under running water to get rid of the extra starch.
- Keep the sago submerged in clean water until you are ready to use.
- Add the coconut milk into a sauce pan. Into this, add the vanilla bean paste (or the vanilla bean pod and seeds). Also add the Gula Melaka.
- Cook this over low heat, stirring constantly until all the Gula Melaka has melted. Do not allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil.
- Drain the sago and add to the saucepan. If you used a vanilla pod, discard it.
- Turn off the heat and stir until the sago is well-distributed.
- Transfer this into an air-tight container and keep this in the fridge until it is completely chilled.
- To serve, ladle into serving bowls, top with lychee and pineapple and garnish with some mint leaves if you like.
- Serve this on the day it is made. The sago will continue to absorb the liquid and this will be dry if you keep in the fridge over night.
Enjoy your blog and looking forward to more.
Hi Diana,
I just made this…just then, successfully. Absolutely delicious. Thanks.
That is wonderful!! I am so glad you like the dessert 🙂
I made this and it was so yummy! Thank you Goddess!:)
Hi Diana
I am one who fears things like sago & jelly cos I am never good at it. I followed your recipe to a tee and it was sooooo good, 1st time sucess ! My friends & I love it ! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
LOL, congrats Olive!! It is easy right? 😀
Hi there,
Normal ntuc can get vanilla paste ?
Not sure about NTUC but I have seen them in CS and Jason’s. Or you can get them at PH.
Hi, can I use vanilla extract instead?
Same questions as Sylvia! And how long would you recommend for chilling?
at most one day – make today, consume by tomorrow.