Sago gula melaka is one of Malaysia's simplest and most loved desserts: tiny sago pearls boiled until clear, set in small molds and chilled, then served with two sauces, a dark, smoky syrup of gula melaka, the palm sugar named after Melaka, scented with pandan, and a lightly salted coconut cream. The contrast of the cold, bouncy pearls, deep caramel syrup and rich coconut is the whole point.

After a meal built on chili, lime and spice, it cools everything down, which is a useful quality in a country where the race at Sepang was famous for cockpit temperatures. It is also made hours ahead and needs no oven.

The sago

Ingredients

• 1 cup (180 g) small sago pearls
• 8 cups (2 liters) water
• 1 pinch fine salt

Method

1. Bring the water to a rolling boil in the large saucepan. Pour in the sago slowly, stirring all the time with the whisk. Keep it at a lively boil and stir every minute for 12 to 15 minutes.
2. Turn off the heat, cover and leave for 5 minutes so the last white centers clear. Tip into the sieve and rinse under cold running water, stirring gently with your fingers, until the water runs clear and the pearls are cool.
3. Stir in the salt. Spoon the sago into the molds, pressing it down gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

The palm sugar syrup

Ingredients

• 7 oz (200 g) gula melaka
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
• 2 pandan leaves

Method

1. Put the palm sugar, water and pandan in the small saucepan over medium heat and stir until melted. Simmer for 5 minutes, then strain and cool.

The coconut cream

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml) coconut cream
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 pandan leaf

Method

1. Warm the coconut cream with the salt and pandan in a clean small saucepan over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, without letting it boil. Cool and chill.

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