Sagu

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Sagu is an unusual Brazilian alcohol-infused dessert made with cassava, one of the oldest starch sources found in South America. This sweet concoction is made with tapioca pearls – round-shaped, chewy ingredients gained from tapioca starch. To prepare sagu, the pearls are cooked in wine until all of the liquid is absorbed and the pearls turn dark red. Occasionally, wine is mixed with an equal amount of grape juice, which makes this interesting dessert sweeter and less alcoholic. The wine is usually infused with cinnamon and cloves in order to add extra flavor to the dish. Most commonly, sagu is consumed plain and served in individual portions. However, it is also a perfect complement to creamy desserts such as cheesecake or vanilla custards. Although tapioca pearls can be made at home, sagu is most commonly prepared with the store-bought variety.