Lemon Sago Pudding: The Simple, Zesty Dessert That’s Secretly Tapioca

I soundly acknowledge that I am not a sophisticated cook. So not. You’ve probably gathered this already. I’ve catered long lunches and seasonal dinners and multiple-course degustations for large numbers of people, but my menus were always pretty simple.

I admire truly skillful food. Clever chefs who use genius flavour and texture combinations and restaurant plates that make you gasp.

But I also love really basic things.

Like the old lemon sago pudding. Right up there in sophistication terms with sausages and mash. Scrambled eggs on toast. Grilled cheese. I’m not knocking it; we’re naming some of my very favourite foods here. Mmm … grilled cheese.

When I first moved to Sydney as a youngster, there was an Iku Wholefoods almost next door to the cafe where I worked, and they made a kick arse sago pudding. SO good. Dear me, I ate a few. Once, at that time, I kept the container with the ingredients list and tried to replicate it, and it was pretty good! I was so proud, patting my own back at my genius economy. But do you think I wrote down the recipe?

Anyway, over the many proceeding years I’ve made and remade it, and eventually landed on this one: zesty and creamy and delicious. I tend to make it into several small containers, because the temptation of one big bowl might just spell disaster. Lip-smacking disaster. Multiple small containers feels like minimising the damage. And although this one is delicious, I think what it’s actually missing is the taste of eighteen-year-old freedom in the big smoke.

Note: to be clear, I’m not using actual sago, which is made from the inner trunk and spongy core of tropical palm trees grown in Southeast Asia (sounds delicious, right?!) Honestly, it’s actually pretty rare and expensive. Tapioca on the other hand is made from the starchy roots of the cassava plant but is an excellent dupe for sago. Most cooks would consider them interchangeable. Tapioca is actually chewier and holds its shape better, so is preferable in this recipe. Maybe I should have called it Lemon Tapioca Pudding. Tapioca is calorie and carbohydrate dense but also really easy to digest, gluten-free and particularly allergy-friendly. It was historically used by hospitals and schools because of this, but also because it was cheap, and pudding could be made with very few extra ingredients. Anyway, there you have it! The history lesson on Tapioca you did not ask for. Pudding for everyone!

Serves 6-8
Ingredients

130 g (⅔  cup) sago (tapioca) pearls
2 cups water
400 g tinned coconut milk
165 g (¾  cup) white sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 2 lemons

Method

Soak the sago/tapioca in the water for 20 minutes or so.
Drain the soaked sago and pop it into a saucepan with the coconut milk, sugar and golden syrup and bring to a low boil, stirring constantly.
Once thickened, take it off the heat and add the lemon zest and juice. Spoon or pour into containers or one big bowl and refrigerate till firm.