Sago is a pure carbohydrate and an instant energy booster, thus a favorite fasting food. Loaded with resistant starch they help in regulating the gut microbiomes. These man-made pearls are most suitable for gluten-free or grain-free diets.
Bland in taste they easily absorb flavours and hence lend themselves very easily in food preparation.
Today’s special is a silky, milky sago payasam /jawarisi payasam. Though easy to prepare, care has to be taken since the sago pearls have a sneaky tendency to misbehave ending up in a clumpy mass of starch. This payasam is definitely different as it has an inherent viscosity lent by the gelatinization and solubility of the sago pearls resulting in a creamy soft gel.
Ingredients for Jawarisi Payasam:
- Sago pearls 2 tbsp
- Full-fat milk 2 liters
- Sugar 1/4cup
- Saffron few strands
- Cardamom powder 1/4tsp
- Cashew few
- Ghee 1 tbsp
Preparation Method:
- Add a tsp of ghee and roast the sago till they pop up.
- Set them aside.
- Deep fry the cashews till golden brown and add to the sago.
- Take a heavy-bottomed pan. Boil milk and reduce it to half.
- Add the roasted sago and cashews to the boiling milk and simmer with constant stirring till the sago pearls are cooked.
- Add the sugar and stir and simmer till it melts.
- Add the saffron and cardamom and give a final boil.
- Remove from the stove, garnish with cashew and serve warm or cold
