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Saksak
Papua New Guinea sago and banana dumplings in coconut milk
Saksak is a dish of the Sepik and coastal lowlands of Papua New Guinea, where sago palm starch is the staple food. Sago flour is mixed with mashed ripe banana, wrapped in leaves and boiled in coconut milk until it turns into soft, chewy, translucent dumplings. It is eaten as a snack or a sweet side with fish. Sago palm starch (sometimes sold as sago flour) is found in Asian shops. A common mistake is using too little banana or coconut, which makes it rubbery. Chef's tip: if you can't get banana leaves, form the mix into balls and drop them straight into the simmering coconut milk.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 9 oz sago palm starch
- 3 ripe bananasmashed
- 1 ⅜ oz sugar
- 4 tbsp water
- 6 pieces banana leavesabout 20 cm square, softened
- 3 ¼ cups coconut milk
- 1 pinch salt
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz sago palm starch, 3 ripe bananas, 1 ⅜ oz sugar and 4 tbsp water with your hands to a crumbly, damp dough that just holds when squeezed.
5 minStep 2: Divide between the 6 pieces banana leaves, shape into sausages and fold up tightly, tying with string.
10 minStep 3: Bring 3 ¼ cups coconut milk and 1 pinch salt to a gentle simmer in a wide pan, add the parcels and cook for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until the saksak is translucent and chewy all the way through.
30 minStep 4: Unwrap and serve warm with some of the coconut milk.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does saksak take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ripe bananas?
- Mango, same weight (in smoothies and shakes).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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