Sago Crystal Cake

This cake is not difficult to do except you have to control the soaking of sago pearls so that it is not overcooked. If the sago pearls are overcooked during the soaking process, then your cakes will not have the pearly effect, it will just be a smooth blog. The ones you see in my picture are the second batch that I have done. My first batch were just smooth blogs of sago without the pearly effect.

You can use green coloured sago pearls too, they look very pretty with that tinge of greenish colour, just like the pandan colour.



Ingredients:
100g Sago pearls
50g water chestnut powder
75ml water
55g sugar
1 tsp corn oil
50g red bean paste

Method:
1. Soak sago in a covered saucepan with lots of hot boiling water for at least 1 hour. Stirring it occasionally to prevent them sticking together. Then rinse under cold water and drain well.
2. Soak water chestnut powder with 75ml water for 15 minutes. Stir till well blended and strain into a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar and oil.
3. Mix in the drained sago pearls.
4. Spoon 1 tablespoon of sago pearls mixture into greased tart moulds. Top with with 1 teaspoon of red bean paste and cover it with another tablespoon of sago mixture.
5. Steam on high heat for 4 - 5 minutes or till cooked.

Notes:
If your sago pearls from step (1) is very cooked, you may steam it for 4 minutes then check if it is done, else you can steam it for another minute or so.
If your sago pearls from step (1) have white centres, you should steam your cakes for 8 - 10 minutes or till cooked.
You may like to drain the sago pearls from step (1) after 30 minutes and top it up with a new pot of hot boiling water. This is a good method as the centres will not be too raw.
I used the standard egg tarts moulds to do this and I get about 18 pieces.