By Heidemarie Swanepoel

Steamed Date and Sago (Tapioca) Pudding

Steamed Date and Sago (Tapioca) Pudding

This is the type of pudding I make on a day when I have time to spare, and when I have planned well ahead. The mixing and preparing takes only minutes, but the sitting time, and the steaming time are far apart. How I manage this, is this: Just after lunch, I put the sago in the milk, to swell out. At tea-time, I quickly mix all the ingredients in a bowl, and start the steaming process. That continues while I can make tea,, enjoy a few minutes of quiet, and then start making supper. By the time we have had our supper, we can finish it off with a slice of this delicious pudding.

Ingredients:
½ cup sago (tapioca)
1 cup dates – chopped and destined
1 cup raisins
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup milk
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tablespoon butter

1. Place the sago in the milk, and allow to stand for 1 – 1 ½ hours. Add a little more milk, if required (if the sago has lapped up all the milk, and is still partially cloudy / white). The sago is ready when it is completely see-through and jelly-like in consistency.

2. Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring to the boil.
3. Mix all the ingredients well.
4. Place in a well greased tin or pudding bowl (heat resistant)
5. Place in the pot of boiling water. The water should come to nearly the level of the pudding in the bowl.
Simmer the pudding for 2 hours. Top up the water from boiling water in your kettle as needed.

6.Remove the pudding from the tin, and serve hot with whipped cream or ice-cream.

Note: It does not matter if the sago stands for a bit too long. It does however matter if the sago does not sit long enough. So rather get the sago into the milk early, than be racing for time and taking it out too soon.