Tuesday September 15, 2009

Wrapped up in a sago treat

By SALINA KHALID

After a day of fasting, it is recommended to break fast with something light and sweet that will go easy on the stomach instead of spicy food. That is the reason why sweet kueh are selling like hot cakes at Ramadan bazaars.

My late great grandmother was fond of making a kueh called abok-abok during the fasting month.

Sweet and simple: The abokabok is made using pearl sago, sugar and grated coconut.

Pearl sago is the main ingredient in abok-abok, which is simple to make and cheap, too. Sadly, I have yet to find this kueh on sale at any of the Ramadan bazaars I’ve visited so far.

So it is a treat to be able to enjoy home-made abok-abok again everytime I return to Teluk Intan, Perak, to break fast with the family. My eldest sister would always make abok-abok for us.

And it is a real joy to enjoy the wrapped kueh piping hot as soon as she takes it out from the steamer just in time for buka puasa.

Abok-Abok

Ingredients

— 150g pearl sago, wash twice under running water to rid of access starch, strain to dry for a few minutes

— grated coconut (use the white flesh only)

— ¼ tsp salt

— 2 tbsp water

— some white sugar (optional)

— gula melaka, chopped into small pieces (can also use soft brown sugar/gula merah)

— banana leaf (cut out rounds of 18cm in diameter)

Method

Drain the sago. Combine with grated coconut, white sugar (optional) and salt. Toss well to mix.

Fold each piece of banana leaf round into half to form a semicircle. Fold again to form a cone.

Fill the cone halfway with the sago mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of gula melaka in the centre. Top up with another heaped tablespoon of another sago mixture.

Fold down the banana leaf (to cover the cone). Let it stand on its base. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Steam the abok-abok over high heat for about 8-10 minutes. Remove, and let it cool completely before serving.

Note: For a nicer colour, add pandan juice by blending pandan leaves and straining the juice. Pandan also gives the kueh a more fragrant. Green food colouring can also be used. Otherwise, leave it plain.