pandan sago with palm sugar (gula melaka) sauce

3 posts in 3 months. Talk about being slack.

I am just about to change that. After 3 mains (2 of which are chicken dishes), I decided to post a dessert recipe. This is another family favorite.

As I have mentioned in my "About Me", I collect recipes from everywhere. And I mean everywhere. This recipe is adapted from the sago packaging box. The recipe they had used cinnamon instead of pandan leaves. But I'm Southeast Asian and I need to satisfy my pandan fix.

The family said this one is better than the ones we can buy from the Adelaide Central Markets. When they say that, believe me, that is saying a lot. But on one hand, it is easy to please the sweet tooth bunch when it comes to desserts.

Pandan Sago with Gula Melaka Sauce
(adopted from Anchor Sago recipe)

• 1/2 cup (100 g) sago
• 3 cups (750 ml) water
• pandan leaves
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• a drop of green food coloring (optional)
  
• 125 g palm sugar (gula melaka), chopped into small pieces
  
• 1/4 cup water
• additional coconut milk for drizzling
  

1. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan, add sago and pandan leaves and simmer until sago is translucent, stirring occasionally.

2. Remove from stove, cover and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

3. Pour cold water over sago, remove pandan leaves and stir in coconut milk and sugar. Add a drop of the food coloring if using.

4. Spoon into moulds and refrigerate until cold.

5. Place palm sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Cool in the refrigerator.

6. To serve, turn sago out of moulds, drizzle with palm sugar sauce and coconut milk.

Serves about 4.

asian chicken noodle soup for the soul

I've been meaning to start this blog for more than a month now but can not seem to decide what to write about first. Until my husband came home from work earlier this week sick with colds. I decided to make him some chicken noodle soup because it's supposed to be good for you when you have colds. This recipe although Asian, is from my husband who is not the Asian in this house. He first made this for me when I was the one who was sick. I love this soup because (a) I love the fresh taste of ginger,(b) it is a good way to use up your left over roast chicken and (c) it is so easy make!




What you need:

• peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  
• ginger, coarsely chopped (depends on how ginger-y you want this to be)
  
• 3-4 gloves garlic, chopped
• couple of coriander roots, scrubbed well (optional)
  
• about 400 grams of chicken, cut into strips (left over roast chicken will do)
• one liter of chicken stock
• 500 grams fresh Hookien noodles
• salt and pepper, to taste
  
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• coriander, chopped

How you do it:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan.
   
2. Fry the ginger and garlic (coriander roots, if using) until fragrant.
3. Fry the chicken until slightly browned.
4. Pour in your chicken stock.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Simmer for a few minutes (until the stock is heated through).
   
7. Add the noodles and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until heated through.
8. Add the bean sprouts. Cook for about a minute (or less, like what my husband does).
9. Sprinkle chopped fresh coriander before serving.

4 big serves.