Lapis Sagu

You can find many versions of Lapis Sagu in many baker's blog... Personally I have 5 different recipes using slightly different ingredients. The staples are sugar, coconut, water and pandan. As to the flours - it is why I find many divergence: some uses rice flour + mung bean flour, some uses tapioca + starch flour... the permutations goes on!

The one that I have settled on was first published in YumYum Magazine (#54), a Malaysian publication which is sold in Singapore at an exorbitantly inflated price (RM10 vs. S$7)! But if you look beyond the price, this is a very good baking magazine where you will pick up useful tips and pointers.

BTW, I think I will stick to this version... simple and taste good. The texture is abit QQ... I read that some versions are very soft. But too each it's own; if you like the soft type, then may be Lily's for you.

I have booked marked this recipe for very long. Wanted to make this into red and white layering for Bevis' National Day celebration in school. I have got the red colouring but little did I expect the pandan paste to be so green (i thought is was only a flavouring)... so gone the red colouring!

Anyway, this kueh was so well-received that the Friday morning I had to linger 30min more in school; some of Bevis' teachers came to ask for the recipe :-)

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The below is the original recipe. I have appended my personal notes @Baker's Notes.

A
180g tapioca flour
50g sago flour
320 ml thick coconut milk
220ml water
220g castor sugar
¼ tsp salt

B
2 tbsp thick pandan juice
A few drops green colouring

Method:

1. Put all ingredients A into a mixing bowl and mix well. Drain. Mix 1/3 of the batter with B.
2. Divide green batter into 5 equal portions. Divide white batter into 4 equal portions.
3. Pour a portion of green batter into a 8x6” steaming tray and steam at medium-hi heat for 3 min. Remove, pour white batter on top of green layer and steam for 3 min. Repeat until the last layer and steam for 7 min.
4. Remove, leave to cool before cutting.

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Baker's Note:

• Sugar: 200g tasted too sweet for me. I would reduce it to 180~200g next time.
• Coconut Milk : I used Kara ready-pack that you can easily get from supermarket. It is thick enough.
• Pandan paste: I used Bake King ready mix, which again, you can easily get from supermarket. I find 2 tbsp too much... you can see the colour is almost emerald. Next time, will start with 1/2 tbsp and work on from there.
• Green colouring: If you are using the ready pandan paster, you can omit. The colouring is already very dark as mentioned.