The other day as we were driving home to Canberra we stopped by the roadside to grab some tasty fruit for the remainder of our car trip. I picked up way too much {as I have become accustom to my mother-in-law’s way of shopping}. And upon arriving home we were left with ½ a box of cherries, 4 peaches, 4 nectarines, 6 plums and a box of lychees.Knowing that we would not be able to get through the entire load of fruit without some spoiling in the next few days, I decided to cook up with some of the lychees… Lychee martini anyone?
I made a simple lychee syrup using water, lychees and palm sugar that could be added to soda water or vodka {whatever takes your fancy}. But then I thought that I would also have a play around with some sago {also known as seed tapioca}.
I created this simple dessert for my sister and her love of lychees – as kids we would walk across the road after our swimming lessons and use our ice-cream money to buy lychees. Seeing as she is also a big fan of pineapple – I sweetened up this dessert with a little of that too!
COCONUT AND LYCHEE SAGO
1 cup of sago {seed tapioca}
2 x 270ml can of coconut milk
1 cup of water
1 vanilla bean
2 cubes of palm sugar
¼ teaspoon of sea salt
2 cups of fresh lychees
¼ of a pineapple
A handful of mint sprigs
Combine the tapioca, coconut milk, water and vanilla in a large saucepan. Set aside and allow to soak for 30 minutes. Place over a medium heat and bring to the simmer. Reduce the heat to low and allow to cook for 15 minutes – stirring occasionally – until the tapioca is transparent.
Add the sugar, a handful of torn lychees {skin and seeds removed} and the salt to the mix and then allow to cool for 10 minutes, before transferring to bowls and allowing to completely cool in the fridge.
Before serving, top with fresh lychees, pineapple and mint.
