Sweetened Sago ( Sweet Tapioca Pearls)

Sago is a starch extracted from the spongy pith of tropical palm stems.  It is also produced from the extracts of cassava root, hence the name tapioca.  It is commercially produced in the form of flour, starch and pearls.  Sago pearls can be boiled with water, milk or coconut milk.  It is a comon ingredient in desserts like halo-halo and ginataan and sweet drinks such as palamig in the Philippines.

Sweetened Sago

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time:  40 minutes
Yield:  2 cups

Ingredients:

• 14 oz. uncooked sago or tapioca pearls
• water for boiling the sago
• 2 cups brown sugar for the syrup
• 2 cups water for the syrup

Procedure:

1. Boil water in a pot.  Add sago pearls. Stir and continue to boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Rinse and drain.
2. Put sago back in the pot. Cover with enough cold water.  Bring to a gentle boil for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat. Rinse and drain.
3. Repeat Step 2 twice or until sago pearls don't have the white at the center.
4. Rinse cooked sago under cold running water twice more to remove excess starch.
5. Use as needed or store in the refrigerator in an airtight jar with simple syrup.
   

To make the simple syrup:

1. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Pour over sago.