🇵🇬 Papua New Guinean Cuisine

Saksak

Sago Pudding

Prep Time 30 min

Servings 6

Difficulty Medium

Calories 334 kcal

A dense, starchy pudding made from sago palm starch mixed with coconut cream and banana, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until set. This ancient Sepik staple is one of PNG's most iconic traditional desserts.

Ingredients

2 cups sago starch
1 cup thick coconut cream
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Banana leaves for wrapping
Pinch of salt

Instructions

1 Rinse sago starch in cold water and drain well, removing any impurities.
2 Mix sago with coconut cream, mashed banana, sugar, vanilla, and salt until a thick batter forms.
3 Soften banana leaves over a flame for 10 seconds each side to make them pliable.
4 Spoon batter onto banana leaf squares, fold into neat parcels and tie with string.
5 Steam parcels over boiling water for 50-60 minutes until firm and translucent.
6 Cool slightly, unwrap, and slice into rounds to serve.

Did You Know?

Sago processing is so central to Sepik culture that communities measure wealth partly by the number of sago palms a family controls.