Saagu Kan’dhi
Kan'dhi is Maldivian comfort food at its plainest and best — something close to a sweet porridge. This saagu kan'dhi is mostly sago, sugar and coconut milk, and though it is simple to make, pandan, cardamom, cinnamon and rose water give it real depth. We make ours with Real Thai Coconut Milk, one of the Real Thai lines we import. It is 100% fresh coconut milk, not from concentrate and with no added colour, and it carries just as well into curries, sweets and drinks. Serving size: 5-6
Ingredients List
- 5 + ¼ cup water
- ½ cup sago
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 cardamom pods
- 6 -inch pandan leaf (cut into half)
- 3 -inch cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp rose water
Step-by-Step Method
- 1
To a large pot, add 5 cups water. Heat it up for 10 minutes until the water starts boiling, and bubbles form on the surface rapidly.
- 2
Once the water starts to fully boil, add ½ cup sago to it. Stir frequently and boil for 15 minutes or until the sago becomes translucent with just a small white dot in the center.
- 3
Drain the cooked sago and rinse it well under running water.
- 4
After that, add the cooked sago back into a new pot, along with ¼ cup water, ½ cup sugar, 3 cardamom pods, 6-inch pandan leaf (cut into half), and a 3-inch cinnamon stick. Stir to combine everything and cook over medium high heat for 2 minutes.
- 5
Then, add 1 cup Real Thai Coconut Milk. Stir continuously and cook for 7 minutes, until the mixture starts to reduce and becomes a bit thicker. It will still be runnier than regular custard or puddings at this point.
- 6
Turn off the heat, add 1 tbsp rose water and give the kan’dhi a final mix. Once cooled down, it will become thick enough to coat the back of a spoon or spatula. You can serve this saagu kan’dhi either warm or chilled.
