Mamta's Kitchen - A Family Cookbook
sago
Where can I buy sago for sago pudding. My local supplier can not get it any more
Most Supermarkets and Indian grocers in UK stock Sago. You may find it as Tapioca. They are slightltly different in origin but look and taste the same.
Mamta
I've not noticed Sago for a long time (but haven't been looking for it) but isn't it similar to Semolina?..
Hello Steven
Sago is not same as semolina, though some sites list it as such. We use sago/tapioca pearls in Indian cooking. I will check the recipes and make the correction if necessary.
Sago pearls are made from starch of sago palm. See http://www.makantime.com/ingredientguide/indexs.htm and http://www.singaporefoodhistory.com/article-sago.htm
Tapioca pearls are made from the cassava root extract:
http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2espicesofindia%2eco%2euk%2facatalog%2fIndian%2dFood%2ehtml&WD=tapioca&SHOP=%20&PN=Indian%2dFood%2dTRS%2dTapioca%2ehtml%23aRFG009#aRFG009
They very similar, look identical and are interchangeable in cooking.
Tapioca and sago are often used in the form of flour in many countries.
Mamta
ah yes a different plant but its similar in what its like etc.. makes a sticky sort of porridge when heated with milk/water (is more what I was saying).
both can be used for making puddings, thickening and other bakery (but probably not interchangeable)
My housebound mother has asked me to obtain sago (known affectionately as frog-spawn) as opposed to tapioca (known affectionately as fish-eye), so if anyone knows of a supplier please let me know.
Dapends where you live Eve. Here in UK, most supermarkets and Indian grocers will have it.
Mamta
not helpful at all but.. how do you start a pudding race?..... Sago..
(I'm sorry...really I am....)
Is there some place I can send away to and get sago. We use it in a Danish recipe.
Hi Ruth
Open any of my recipes. Below the ingredients list, there is a clickable name of a grocer. You can order it from them. I have checked out their supplies, they are good.
Mamta
Much of the sago crop was wiped out by the 2004 Tsunami, due to this Ambrosia no longer make the product and have no plans to start making it agaim
I have spoken to Premier Foods today who own Ambrosia Foods and they say that they have not discontinued the sago pudding but at this point in time cannot sow a new crops in Thailand due to the soil having to much salt in it.
James and John, thanks for helping out with that answer. It appears we have some very clued up and connected people on this board.
Steve
i hope to see sago on the supermarket shelves again soon........
i hate it when a childhood favourite just dissapears without notice....
like Golden Cup/Mint Cracknel/Frys Five Centres etc etc.......
SAGO SAGO SAGO SAGO SAGO
You can get it at Indian stores, ask for sabudana or saboodana. We make many dishes out of it.
Mamta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabudana
Hi there thought I woulkd join the great sago debate. I have tried my local Tescos and Asda but cannot find either sago in a tin or sago pearls. Can anyone help I live in Cambridgeshire. Thanks
I will also join here. I went to my local Sainsbury's and they not only do not have sago, the people working there haven't even heard of it.
As Mamta originally posted 'Sago' is widely available as Tapioca, certainly in my local Sainsburys and other local stores. Good luck to all needing to search further afield.
I'd guess that Sago isn't as popular as it was when I was growing up (you could expect it at least once a week on school meals) So maybe some shops and the people working there have probably not heard of it !
Steve
You will always find it in India shops as 'SABOODANA'. It is use to make pilf like dish called Saboodana Khicheri. It comes in 3 sizes, small, medium or large pearls.
Have a look in your local chinese or other asian supermarket. Failing that, you can alway look in the ethnic food aisle of your local tesco or online chinese supermarkets. Shedloads of products come up if you search for :tapioca pearl' in the shopping section on google:
http://www.google.co.uk/products?sourceid=navclient&hl=en-GB&rlz=1T4DKUK_en-GBGB294GB294&q=tapioca%20pearl&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wf
cannot buy sago ready made or to make myself, have tried all local supermarkets to no avail. I live in Barnsley can anyone help?
Hello barnsaley lass
This is interesting. The shop that we recommend on each of our recipes seems to be situated in Barnsley!
Spice Of India
203 Pontefract Rd,
Barnsley ,
United Kingdom S71 1HS
Phone: 01226 206450
Do tell them how you found them ;-)!
Thank you for this website. I have been trying to find sago and tapioca for years. I will now try the Indian shops here.
Thank you
Thanks guys - i've been looking for sago for ages and can't find it in Edinburgh. I will try indian stockists. My mum used to use it for thickening homemade tomato soup years and years ago - I just want to take a nostalgic trip back to my childhood and make it myself.
Cheers.
Julie
I have looked for sago and tapioca in supermarkets but not in mine. I live in burnley does any one know where i get sago from here?
Linda, Sago sold as tapioca (similar although tapioca is from American cassava, sago from palms) should be for sale in your Sainsbury's, Active Way, Burnley, at 79p for 500g !
Winton
If you ask the customer services at your branch, they will get it for you, may be!
Ginger, Sainsbury's Tapioca (500g; ?0.79/unit) is still available. no price increase since the posting of 3/5/10 on this thread!
Sago and Tapioca are not the same. That's why they have different names!!!! I can't buy it in Aylesbury. Supermarkets just don't bother with it.
Hello Sue
Sago and tapioca can be used interchangeably, at least in Indian recipes.
i have tried for a couple of years to get sago from all the supermarkets but none sell it. ambrosia do not do it any more. why?
I live in Chester and have been looking for tinned or dry sago for the last 4 years and cannot get it anywhere. The people in the shops just look at you as if you have lost your mind when you ask for it. Please can anybody help. There are recipes for sago pudding but how can you make the pud without sago!
ambrosia sago pudding I have tried to get it for about two years with no luck not back on the shelf
Jan, I am sure I saw some recently, might have been Sainsbury's, not sure. Scratching head!
Tapioca and sago are completely different plants. Sago is probably more toxic in its natural state. Since Sago plants have caused a lot of animal deaths in the U.S.A. this has probably not helped sales.
Cycads may leave small amounts of toxin in the flour, thus supermarkets may be playing safe.
seekr
out of interest.. just been in the local supermarket and spotted these on the shelves
Steve
Have searched all Supermarkets looking for Sago Pudding. Loved it and wanted to let my Grandchildren experience what I did as a child. Does this mean that it will never be on sale again? It would be such a shame if this was so.
My mum bought a bag of it from a local international food store a few months ago. But knowing our local international food store, it was probably bagged and on the shelf a couple of years before the tsunami took place.
Sid
You can buy packets of tapioca (very similar, almost identical) from most Indian grocers or on libe; http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-TRS-Tapioca.html#aRFG009_2dp and then cook the pudding yourself. Sago/tapioca is cooked in many forms, mostly savoury, by Indians. You will find a couple of recipes here too.
finally tesco are stocking it again,im making "mango sago polemo"
I am having the same trouble here in Australia trying to buy sago. Tapioca is readily available but it is NOT sago. I know they are interchangable but sago is much finer. Many shop assistants here have not heard of it either.
Sago and tapioca may be interchangeable when used in cooking recipes but they are certainly not the same when made into a milk pudding. We often make a sago pudding when in the Faroe Islands, delicious sprinkled with a sugar/cinnamon mix. I shall have to remmember to bring some back this summer.