Abundance on store shelves can make even the most experienced housewife think. Especially the grocery department has recently been pleased with variety. You go there and start asking questions that you would never have thought of before. For example, how to cook sago? And what is it all about? It turns out that your parents know this grain firsthand. Relatively recently, it was very popular, but in the post-Soviet era it disappeared from the shelves and from the daily menu. So, if you ask loved ones, you will probably find out from them proven recipes for making sago groats. And if not, then we ourselves will be happy to share this information with you. And at the same time we will explain what sago is made of, how to cook sago correctly and what this product will bring to your diet.

What is sago? Natural and artificial sago groats
The origin of the obscure name "sago" is explained by the exotic origin of this cereal. It is mined in the south of Asia, in Thailand, Indonesia, New Guinea and other ocean islands where sago palms grow. The wood of their trunks contains a large amount of starch, which is especially valuable for its chemical composition. The core is extracted from the core of the tree, crushed, washed, and by such complex phased manipulations sago is obtained: a whitish round nib with a dull surface. True, focusing only on the appearance is undesirable. Before you buy sago in the store, do not be lazy to read the text on the package. Read the cereal composition information. With almost the same probability, you will have one of the following types of sago in your hands:

1. For a long time, real sago has been extracted from the trunks of sago palm trees, which cultivate or cut down wild trees before flowering. One palm can produce up to 150 kg of sago, but only once.
   
2. Cassava sago is obtained from the roots of a plant that has nothing to do with palm trees. This is an edible cassava, rich in starch, but containing, in addition to it, poisonous glycosides. Industrial cassava is grown for the manufacture of rubber and food products, so sago from it is cheaper than palm.
   
3. Potato sago is an invention of the Soviet food industry. Since neither palm trees nor cassava can be found in our latitudes, they have found a replacement in the form of potatoes, also rich in starch.
   
4. Corn sago - similar to a potato product, fake sago is made from corn starch, suitable for the production of such cereals.
   

Potato and corn starch are moistened and run through a centrifuge, where it is collected in balls. After steaming, they really look very much like palm sago. You can distinguish them, focusing on the price of cereals and the specified composition of the product.

Composition and benefits of sago
Real sago is very popular not only in Asian countries, but also abroad. For the indigenous people of Guinea, this cereal is as important as rice for the Chinese and wheat for the Europeans. The nutritional value of sago lies in its composition, and quite specific. Protein in this grits is very small, but plenty of carbohydrates (complex and simple), dietary fiber and a little fat. Vitamins are represented by group B, fat-soluble vitamins A, E and PP. A lot of minerals: iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, iodine and even molybdenum, vanadium, cobalt, strontium and zirconium. But the main advantage of sago over other cereals is not what it contains, but what it does not. Here's a paradox: the minimum protein content and the complete absence of gluten, or gluten, allows you to include sago in the diet of people with food allergies and low-protein therapeutic diets.

How to make sago
The fact that sago is considered cereal can serve as an occasion to cook it using standard cooking technology. But in the case of sago this will be wrong: neither taste nor benefit will be revealed to the full. Moreover, a special cooking technique applies to all types of sago: both real and simulated from potatoes or corn. And all because even sago substitutes are not identical to starch. Their chemical composition is more concentrated and undergoes certain processes during cooking, therefore, it requires the right approach:

1. Porridge from sago is prepared in several stages. First, dry cereals are sorted out (although it cannot contain scales, but sometimes garbage and other foreign particles get into it), then they are washed a couple of times under tap with cool water.
   
2. Meanwhile, salted water should boil on the stove at the rate of 1 liter of liquid for 1-1.5 cups of sago.
   
3. Pour the cereal into a pot of boiling water, reduce heat to a small level and cook for about half an hour. Do not forget to stir the porridge so that the grains do not stick together.
   
4. After half an hour, the sago porridge will be only half ready, but it’s time to remove it from the fire. Discard the contents of the pan on a sieve and drain the water.
   
5. Return semifinished sago groats to the same pan or another, smaller one. Cover with a lid, and even better - press on top of oppression. Place the pan with grits in a water bath and evaporate in this way for about 30 minutes.
   
6. After half an hour, put in a saga porridge a generous piece of butter, mix and leave under the lid for 10 minutes to soak.
   

Popular wisdom claims that porridge cannot be spoiled with butter. So, just in relation to porridge from sago this is especially true. Some housewives even believe that it is butter that gives this dish a special charm. So do not skimp and use at least 100 grams of high-quality butter for porridge from a glass of cereal.

Sago groats recipes
Of course, porridge on the water is far from the only way to make sago deliciously. After you have mastered the basic recipe for making sago groats, try to complicate it with one of these delicious ways:

1. Milk porridge from sago.  For 1 cup of sago groats you will need at least 1 liter of whole milk (cow or goat milk), a bag of vanilla sugar (or a tablespoon of granulated sugar and vanilla on the tip of a knife), a half pinch of salt and 100 grams of butter. Butter, like milk, can be used ghee. Sort out cereals and rinse with cool water. Salt the milk and put on the fire. In the boiling milk, put sugar, cereal and stir. Stir do not stop for another 25-30 minutes, while porridge is cooked on low heat. Then remove the pan from the stove and, having covered with a lid, rearrange in the oven preheated to 160-180 ° С. There, porridge from sago will reach readiness in about 30-40 minutes, but you can leave it for a longer time, as in a thermostat. Before serving, fill the porridge with oil and mix so that it is evenly distributed.
   To avoid moving the pan with porridge from the stove to the oven, you can immediately cook sago in a slow cooker. The proportions of the products will remain the same, the device mode is “milk porridge”. You can leave it heated for a while, and fill it with oil before meals right in the bowl or already in plates.
   
2. Sweet porridge from sago with rice. To complete the taste, it is also better to boil it in milk or milk diluted with water 1: 1. In any case, for 1 liter of liquid, take half a glass of sago and half a glass of white rice, two bags of vanilla sugar (or 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and a little vanilla or vanilla essence), half a coffee spoon of salt, a handful of raisins, 100 grams of butter, and also any other dried fruits, fresh fruits, nuts and / or candied fruits to your taste. Sort and rinse both cereals. It is enough to rinse sago with cool water once, and rice will require several rinses. Soak raisins in boiling water. Salt the milk and / or water and bring to a boil in a suitable pan. Put sago and rice in boiling liquid, add vanilla and sugar and, stirring, cook over low heat for about half an hour. Then remove from the heat, put the pressed raisins and cover. Reposition the pan in the oven, preheated to 150-170 ° C. After 30 minutes, the porridge will be ready. Stir it with butter and garnish with fruit / nut slices, jam, jam or honey when serving.
   Sago can be prepared for the future, having prepared a kind of semi-finished product from cereals. It is well stored in the refrigerator and, as needed, quickly brought to readiness, to be used as a side dish, a filling for baking, or whatever you like. To do this, it is enough to boil the sago on the stove until half-ready (within 30 minutes), and then dry it on a towel and transfer to a clean container. Such a workpiece can be safely done for several days in advance and prepared from it not only cereal, but also the first dishes:
   
3. Sago Chowder.  For 2 liters of prepared meat or vegetable broth, take about half a glass of sago (raw cereals or half-prepared from the refrigerator), a bunch of fresh herbs, a pinch of salt, ground pepper and / or other spices to taste. Salt the broth and bring to a boil on the stove. While it is heating, sort and rinse the sago. Put the grits in the boiling broth and cook for about 15 minutes. Then add spices, cover and bring to readiness for another 5-7 minutes. Chop greens, meanwhile. Pour the soup over the plates and sprinkle each serving with a pinch of greenery. In the same way, you can cook soup with sago and meat or fish, potatoes and / or other vegetables.
   

Like semolina, the housewives got the hang of using sago to bake cookies and prepare casseroles. Try and you replace semolina with half-cooked sago groats - for sure the taste will turn out interesting and new. Moreover, sago groats of good quality do not have a pronounced taste and perfectly adapt to the components of at least a salty, at least a sweet dish. Use this versatility of sago and treat your loved ones with wholesome and hearty dishes. Bon appetit to you and your family!

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS OF NUTRITION VALUE

Nutritional value and chemical composition "Sago (starch groats) [PRODUCT REDACTED]".

The table shows the content of nutrients (calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals) per 100 grams of edible portion.

Nutrient	number	Norm**	% of the norm in 100 g	% of the norm in 100 kcal	100% normal
Calorie content	335.5 kcal	1684 kcal	19.9%	5.9%	502 g
Squirrels	16 g	76 g	21.1%	6.3%	475 g
Fats	1 g	60 g	1.7%	0.5%	6000 g
Carbohydrates	70 g	211 g	33.2%	9.9%	301 g
Alimentary fiber	0.3 g	20 g	1.5%	0.4%	6667 g
Water	14 g	2400 g	0.6%	0.2%	17143 g
Ash	2 g	~
Vitamins
Vitamin A, RE	10 mcg	900 mcg	1.1%	0.3%	9000 g
Retinol	0.01 mg	~
Vitamin B1, Thiamine	0.2 mg	1.5 mg	13.3%	4%	750 g
Vitamin B2, Riboflavin	0.5 mg	1.8 mg	27.8%	8.3%	360 g
Vitamin B4, Choline	90 mg	500 mg	18%	5.4%	556 g
Vitamin B5 Pantothenic	1 mg	5 mg	20%	6%	500 g
Vitamin B6, Pyridoxine	0.5 mg	2 mg	25%	7.5%	400 g
Vitamin B9, Folates	40 mcg	400 mcg	10%	3%	1000 g
Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol, TE	6 mg	15 mg	40%	11.9%	250 g
Vitamin H, Biotin	10 mcg	50 mcg	20%	6%	500 g
Vitamin PP, NE	7.656 mg	20 mg	38.3%	11.4%	261 g
Niacin	5 mg	~
Macronutrients
Potassium, K	300 mg	2500 mg	12%	3.6%	833 g
Calcium Ca	250 mg	1000 mg	25%	7.5%	400 g
Silicon, Si	50 mg	30 mg	166.7%	49.7%	60 g
Magnesium, Mg	50 mg	400 mg	12.5%	3.7%	800 g
Sodium, Na	25 mg	1300 mg	1.9%	0.6%	5200 g
Sulfur, S	100 mg	1000 mg	10%	3%	1000 g
Phosphorus, Ph	250 mg	800 mg	31.3%	9.3%	320 g
Chlorine, Cl	30 mg	2300 mg	1.3%	0.4%	7667 g
Trace elements
Aluminum, Al	1500 mcg	~
Bor, B	200 mcg	~
Vanadium V	170 mcg	~
Iron, Fe	2 mg	18 mg	11.1%	3.3%	900 g
Iodine, I	10 mcg	150 mcg	6.7%	2%	1500 g
Cobalt, Co	5 mcg	10 mcg	50%	14.9%	200 g
Manganese, Mn	3.8 mg	2 mg	190%	56.6%	53 g
Copper, Cu	500 mcg	1000 mcg	50%	14.9%	200 g
Molybdenum, Mo	25 mcg	70 mcg	35.7%	10.6%	280 g
Nickel, Ni	40 mcg	~
Tin, Sn	35 mcg	~
Selenium, Se	19 mcg	55 mcg	34.5%	10.3%	289 g
Strontium, Sr	200 mcg	~
Titanium, Ti	45 mcg	~
Zinc, Zn	2.8 mg	12 mg	23.3%	6.9%	429 g
Zirconium Zr	25 mcg	~
Digestible carbohydrates
Starch and Dextrins	50 g	~
Mono- and disaccharides (sugars)	2 g	max 100 g

Energy value   is 335.5 kcal.

Primary Source: Product removed. .

** This table shows the average norms of vitamins and minerals for an adult. If you want to know the norms taking into account your gender, age and other factors, then use the application “My healthy diet”.

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BALANCE OF NUTRIENTS

   Most foods cannot contain the full range of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it is important to eat a variety of foods to meet the body's needs for vitamins and minerals.

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The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates:

   Knowing the contribution of proteins, fats and carbohydrates to calories, you can understand how much the product or diet meets the standards of a healthy diet or the requirements of a particular diet. For example, the US and Russian Department of Health recommends 10-12% of calories from protein, 30% from fat, and 58-60% from carbohydrates. The Atkins diet recommends low carbohydrate intake, although other diets focus on low fat intake.

   If more energy is consumed than is received, then the body begins to spend reserves of fat, and body weight decreases.

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TIME TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL

USEFUL PROPERTIES OF SAGO (STARP LARGE) [PRODUCT REMOVED]

Sago (starch groats) [PRODUCT REDACTED]rich in vitamins and minerals such as: vitamin B1 - 13.3%, vitamin B2 - 27.8%, choline - 18%, vitamin B5 - 20%, vitamin B6 - 25%, vitamin E - 40%, vitamin H - 20%, vitamin PP - 38.3%, potassium - 12%, calcium - 25%, silicon - 166.7%, magnesium - 12.5%, phosphorus - 31.3%, iron - 11.1%, cobalt - 50%, manganese - 190%, copper - 50%, molybdenum - 35.7%, selenium - 34.5%, zinc - 23.3%

Why Sago (Starch Groats) is Useful [PRODUCT REDACTED]

• Vitamin B1  It is part of the most important enzymes of carbohydrate and energy metabolism, providing the body with energy and plastic substances, as well as the metabolism of branched amino acids. A deficiency of this vitamin leads to serious disorders of the nervous, digestive and cardiovascular systems.
• Vitamin B2 participates in redox reactions, enhances color susceptibility with a visual analyzer and dark adaptation. An insufficient intake of vitamin B2 is accompanied by a violation of the condition of the skin, mucous membranes, and a violation of light and twilight vision.
• Choline  is part of lecithin, plays a role in the synthesis and metabolism of phospholipids in the liver, is a source of free methyl groups, acts as a lipotropic factor.
• Vitamin B5  participates in protein, fat, carbohydrate metabolism, cholesterol metabolism, the synthesis of a number of hormones, hemoglobin, promotes the absorption of amino acids and sugars in the intestine, supports the function of the adrenal cortex. Pantothenic acid deficiency can lead to damage to the skin and mucous membranes.
• Vitamin B6  participates in the maintenance of the immune response, the processes of inhibition and excitation in the central nervous system, in the conversion of amino acids, the metabolism of tryptophan, lipids and nucleic acids, contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells, maintaining a normal level of homocysteine \u200b\u200bin the blood. An insufficient intake of vitamin B6 is accompanied by a decrease in appetite, a violation of the condition of the skin, the development of homocysteinemia, anemia.
• Vitamin E  possesses antioxidant properties, is necessary for the functioning of the sex glands, cardiac muscle, is a universal stabilizer of cell membranes. With a deficiency of vitamin E, hemolysis of red blood cells, neurological disorders are observed.
• Vitamin H  participates in the synthesis of fats, glycogen, amino acid metabolism. Inadequate intake of this vitamin can lead to disruption of the normal condition of the skin.
• Vitamin PP  participates in redox reactions of energy metabolism. Inadequate intake of vitamin is accompanied by a violation of the normal state of the skin, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system.
• Potassium  It is the main intracellular ion that takes part in the regulation of water, acid and electrolyte balance, and is involved in the processes of conducting nerve impulses and regulating pressure.
• Calcium  It is the main component of our bones, acts as a regulator of the nervous system, is involved in muscle contraction. Calcium deficiency leads to demineralization of the spine, pelvic bones and lower extremities, increases the risk of osteoporosis.
• Silicon  included as a structural component in the composition of glycosaminoglycans and stimulates collagen synthesis.
• Magnesium participates in energy metabolism, the synthesis of proteins, nucleic acids, has a stabilizing effect for membranes, is necessary to maintain homeostasis of calcium, potassium and sodium. A lack of magnesium leads to hypomagnesemia, an increased risk of developing hypertension, heart disease.
• Phosphorus  takes part in many physiological processes, including energy metabolism, regulates the acid-base balance, is part of phospholipids, nucleotides and nucleic acids, is necessary for the mineralization of bones and teeth. Deficiency leads to anorexia, anemia, rickets.
• Iron  It is part of proteins of various functions, including enzymes. Participates in the transport of electrons, oxygen, provides the occurrence of redox reactions and activation of peroxidation. Insufficient consumption leads to hypochromic anemia, myoglobin deficiency atony of skeletal muscles, increased fatigue, myocardiopathy, atrophic gastritis.
• Cobalt  is part of vitamin B12. Activates fatty acid metabolism and folic acid metabolism enzymes.
• Manganese  participates in the formation of bone and connective tissue, is part of enzymes included in the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, catecholamines; necessary for the synthesis of cholesterol and nucleotides. Insufficient consumption is accompanied by growth retardation, disorders in the reproductive system, increased fragility of bone tissue, disorders of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
• Copper  It is part of enzymes that have redox activity and are involved in the metabolism of iron, stimulates the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates. Participates in the processes of supplying the human body tissues with oxygen. Deficiency is manifested by impaired formation of the cardiovascular system and skeleton, the development of connective tissue dysplasia.
• Molybdenum  is a cofactor of many enzymes that provide the metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids, purines and pyrimidines.
• Selenium  - an essential element of the antioxidant defense system of the human body, has an immunomodulatory effect, is involved in the regulation of the action of thyroid hormones. Deficiency leads to Kashin-Beck disease (osteoarthrosis with multiple deformations of the joints, spine and extremities), Keshan disease (endemic myocardiopathy), hereditary thrombastenia.
• Zinc is part of more than 300 enzymes, participates in the processes of synthesis and decomposition of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, nucleic acids and in the regulation of the expression of a number of genes. Inadequate intake leads to anemia, secondary immunodeficiency, cirrhosis, sexual dysfunction, and fetal malformations. Recent studies have shown the ability of high doses of zinc to disrupt the absorption of copper and thereby contribute to the development of anemia.

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You can see the complete reference of the most useful products in the application Energy value, or calorie content  - this is the amount of energy released in the human body from food during digestion. The energy value of a product is measured in kilo-calories (kcal) or kilo-joules (kJ) per 100 g. product. The kilocalorie used to measure the energy value of food is also called “food calorie”, therefore, when specifying calories in (kilo) calories, the prefix kilo is often omitted. You can see detailed tables of energy value for Russian products.

The nutritional value  - the content of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the product.

Nutritional value of a food product  - a set of properties of a food product, in the presence of which the physiological needs of a person in the necessary substances and energy are satisfied.

Vitamins, organic substances needed in small quantities in the diet of both humans and most vertebrates. Vitamins are usually synthesized by plants, not animals. A person’s daily need for vitamins is only a few milligrams or micrograms. Unlike inorganic substances, vitamins are destroyed by strong heating. Many vitamins are unstable and “lost” during cooking or when processing foods.

Much of what we perceive as another novelty, in fact, is already a well-known thing. It also happened with large sago. Young people are not familiar with it, and adults well remember this product, which was especially popular about thirty years ago. An ever-growing fashion for healthy nutrition contributed to overcoming this unique cereal. beneficial properties of sago groats  made her even more in demand than in the period of her former glory.

History and features of sago groats

Sago groats are a product derived from sago palms. They grow and are actively cultivated in the territory of New Guinea, Thailand, Indonesia, the Malay Islands, the Philippines, Fiji. From one palm tree, 150 to 300 kg of saga groats are obtained. During the period when the largest amount of starch is in the core of the palm, the tree is cut down. The core is machined: it is pressed through a special mold onto a hot metal surface. The result is small balls with a diameter of up to 3 mm in white. After cooking, they increase in size by about three times.
  In addition, other parts of the saga palm are also used: leaves are used as roofing material, and the fibrous trunk becomes a raw material for the manufacture of durable ropes.
  We add that, in addition to saga, sago groats are also made from wine palm, common in Southeast Asia and India, a wax palm (South America), a bast palm (Latin America, Africa, Madagascar) and acrocomia (islands of the Caribbean, South America).
  From the root of a tropical shrub, cassava produces another species of this cereal - tapioca. It is mainly produced in Thailand.

Croup sago is obtained from a special sago palm

It turns out sago  was familiar even to the inhabitants of Russia, who lived about a century ago. True, this cereal was not originally from exotic countries, but was made from cultivated plants of the Central Russian strip, in particular, from corn, potatoes. The starch produced from these crops became the material for the production of cereals. Thus, our ancestors received a similar in appearance, but completely different in composition, artificial analog. True, an alternative, like its natural counterpart, also came out without gluten. To date, the production technology of artificial saga groats has not changed.

Composition and useful properties of sago groats

A rich set of vitamins and minerals in sago groats  lets talk about its high nutritional value. In particular, the product includes a number of vitamins: groups B and A, E, H, PP, choline, etc. It includes phosphorus, calcium, copper, zinc, manganese, selenium, vanadium, molybdenum, silicon, cobalt, and iron. It also contains fats, a minimal amount of protein and simple carbohydrates. Energy value is 335.5 kcal.
Sago groats are a valuable dietary product. Its main advantage is the absence of gluten, or gluten, which is found in cereals. For this reason, sago croup is indicated for people suffering from celiac disease - a disease that, when exposed to gluten, provokes severe allergic reactions in the body. The enveloping properties of the product allow its use as a prophylactic against diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
  Essentially, cereals are simple carbohydrates: they are quickly absorbed by the body and are recommended for people with diabetes. It is also indicated for people who do not genetically tolerate protein products.

Krupa sago: use and contraindications

The assortment of dishes from sago groats is quite diverse. Soups, main dishes, desserts and even stewed fruit - all of which may include this product. Krupa is quickly absorbed, thanks to a high glycemic index stimulates appetite. The taste of the cereal itself is not pronounced - it is an almost tasteless product, because it does not have a pronounced taste, but it perfectly absorbs the aromas of other products. Therefore, cooks are happy to add it to other dishes to make them thicker.

After cooking, sago groats grows in volume three times

As a rule, sago groats are sold pre-packaged. When choosing a product, pay attention to the packaging. It should clearly indicate the shelf life and composition. The grains inside the package should not look clumpy - they should be easily separated from each other. It is best that they have a light yellowish tint.
  As for contraindications, in the case of sago they are minimal: cereals should not be consumed only with individual intolerance to the product.

Abundance on store shelves can make even the most experienced housewife think. Especially the grocery department has recently been pleased with variety. You go there and start asking questions that you would never have thought of before. For example, how to cook sago? And what is it all about? It turns out that your parents know this grain firsthand. Relatively recently, it was very popular, but in the post-Soviet era it disappeared from the shelves and from the daily menu. So, if you ask loved ones, you will probably find out from them proven recipes for making sago groats. And if not, then we ourselves will be happy to share this information with you. And at the same time we will explain what sago is made of, how to cook sago correctly and what this product will bring to your diet.

What is sago? Natural and artificial sago groats
   The origin of the obscure name "sago" is explained by the exotic origin of this cereal. It is mined in the south of Asia, in Thailand, Indonesia, New Guinea and other ocean islands where sago palms grow. The wood of their trunks contains a large amount of starch, which is especially valuable for its chemical composition. The core is extracted from the core of the tree, crushed, washed, and by such complex phased manipulations sago is obtained: a whitish round nib with a dull surface. True, focusing only on the appearance is undesirable. Before you buy sago in the store, do not be too lazy to read the text on the package. Read the cereal composition information. With almost the same probability, you will have one of the following types of sago in your hands:

1. For a long time, real sago has been extracted from the trunks of sago palm trees, which cultivate or cut down wild trees before flowering. One palm can produce up to 150 kg of sago, but only once.
2. Cassava sago is obtained from the roots of a plant that has nothing to do with palm trees. This is an edible cassava, rich in starch, but containing, in addition to it, poisonous glycosides. Industrial cassava is grown for the manufacture of rubber and food products, so sago from it is cheaper than palm.
3. Potato sago is an invention of the Soviet food industry. Since neither palm trees nor cassava can be found in our latitudes, they have found a replacement in the form of potatoes, also rich in starch.
4. Corn sago - similar to a potato product, fake sago is made from corn starch, suitable for the production of such cereals.

Potato and corn starch are moistened and run through a centrifuge, where it is collected in balls. After steaming, they really look very much like palm sago. You can distinguish them, focusing on the price of cereals and the specified composition of the product.

Composition and benefits of sago
Real sago is very popular not only in Asian countries, but also abroad. For the indigenous people of Guinea, this cereal is as important as rice for the Chinese and wheat for the Europeans. The nutritional value of sago lies in its composition, and quite specific. Protein in this grits is very small, but plenty of carbohydrates (complex and simple), dietary fiber and a little fat. Vitamins are represented by group B, fat-soluble vitamins A, E and PP. A lot of minerals: iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, iodine and even molybdenum, vanadium, cobalt, strontium and zirconium. But the main advantage of sago over other cereals is not what it contains, but what it does not. Here's a paradox: the minimum protein content and the complete absence of gluten, or gluten, allows you to include sago in the diet of people with food allergies and low-protein therapeutic diets.

How to make sago
The fact that sago is considered cereal can serve as an occasion to cook it using standard cooking technology. But in the case of sago this will be wrong: neither taste nor benefit will be revealed to the full. Moreover, a special cooking technique applies to all types of sago: both real and simulated from potatoes or corn. And all because even sago substitutes are not identical to starch. Their chemical composition is more concentrated and undergoes certain processes during cooking, therefore, it requires the right approach:

1. Porridge from sago is prepared in several stages. First, dry cereals are sorted out (although it cannot contain scales, but sometimes garbage and other foreign particles get into it), then they are washed a couple of times under tap with cool water.
2. Meanwhile, salted water should boil on the stove at the rate of 1 liter of liquid for 1-1.5 cups of sago.
3. Pour the cereal into a pot of boiling water, reduce heat to a small level and cook for about half an hour. Do not forget to stir the porridge so that the grains do not stick together.
4. After half an hour, the sago porridge will be only half ready, but it’s time to remove it from the fire. Discard the contents of the pan on a sieve and drain the water.
5. Return semifinished sago groats to the same pan or another, smaller one. Cover with a lid, and even better - press on top of oppression. Place the pan with grits in a water bath and evaporate in this way for about 30 minutes.
6. After half an hour, put in a saga porridge a generous piece of butter, mix and leave under the lid for 10 minutes to soak.

Popular wisdom claims that porridge cannot be spoiled with butter. So, just in relation to porridge from sago this is especially true. Some housewives even believe that it is butter that gives this dish a special charm. So do not skimp and use at least 100 grams of high-quality butter for porridge from a glass of cereal.

Sago groats recipes
   Of course, porridge on the water is far from the only way to make sago deliciously. After you have mastered the basic recipe for making sago groats, try to complicate it with one of these delicious ways:

1. Milk porridge from sago.  For 1 cup of sago groats you will need at least 1 liter of whole milk (cow or goat milk), a bag of vanilla sugar (or a tablespoon of granulated sugar and vanilla on the tip of a knife), a half pinch of salt and 100 grams of butter. Butter, like milk, can be used ghee. Sort out cereals and rinse with cool water. Salt the milk and put on the fire. In the boiling milk, put sugar, cereal and stir. Stir do not stop for another 25-30 minutes, while porridge is cooked on low heat. Then remove the pan from the stove and, having covered with a lid, rearrange in the oven preheated to 160-180 ° С. There, porridge from sago will reach readiness in about 30-40 minutes, but you can leave it for a longer time, as in a thermostat. Before serving, fill the porridge with oil and mix so that it is evenly distributed.
      To avoid moving the pan with porridge from the stove to the oven, you can immediately cook sago in a slow cooker. The proportions of the products will remain the same, the device mode is “milk porridge”. You can leave it heated for a while, and fill it with oil before meals right in the bowl or already in plates.
2. Sweet porridge from sago with rice. To complete the taste, it is also better to boil it in milk or milk diluted with water 1: 1. In any case, for 1 liter of liquid, take half a glass of sago and half a glass of white rice, two bags of vanilla sugar (or 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and a little vanilla or vanilla essence), half a coffee spoon of salt, a handful of raisins, 100 grams of butter, and also any other dried fruits, fresh fruits, nuts and / or candied fruits to your taste. Sort and rinse both cereals. It is enough to rinse sago with cool water once, and rice will require several rinses. Soak raisins in boiling water. Salt the milk and / or water and bring to a boil in a suitable pan. Put sago and rice in boiling liquid, add vanilla and sugar and, stirring, cook over low heat for about half an hour. Then remove from the heat, put the pressed raisins and cover. Reposition the pan in the oven, preheated to 150-170 ° C. After 30 minutes, the porridge will be ready. Stir it with butter and garnish with fruit / nut slices, jam, jam or honey when serving.
   Sago can be prepared for the future, having prepared a kind of semi-finished product from cereals. It is well stored in the refrigerator and, as needed, quickly brought to readiness, to be used as a side dish, a filling for baking, or whatever you like. To do this, it is enough to boil the sago on the stove until half-ready (within 30 minutes), and then dry it on a towel and transfer to a clean container. Such a workpiece can be safely done for several days in advance and prepared from it not only cereal, but also the first dishes:
3. Sago Chowder.  For 2 liters of prepared meat or vegetable broth, take about half a glass of sago (raw cereals or half-prepared from the refrigerator), a bunch of fresh herbs, a pinch of salt, ground pepper and / or other spices to taste. Salt the broth and bring to a boil on the stove. While it is heating, sort and rinse the sago. Put the grits in the boiling broth and cook for about 15 minutes. Then add spices, cover and bring to readiness for another 5-7 minutes. Chop greens, meanwhile. Pour the soup over the plates and sprinkle each serving with a pinch of greenery. In the same way, you can cook soup with sago and meat or fish, potatoes and / or other vegetables.

Like semolina, the housewives got the hang of using sago to bake cookies and prepare casseroles. Try and you replace semolina with half-cooked sago groats - for sure the taste will turn out interesting and new. Moreover, sago groats of good quality do not have a pronounced taste and perfectly adapt to the components of at least a salty, at least a sweet dish. Use this versatility of sago and treat your loved ones with wholesome and hearty dishes.

Bon appetit to you and your family!

Croup sago was very popular and available in Soviet times, but after several decades it began to be perceived as something exotic. Small white groats used to be sold everywhere in grocery stores, today it is unlikely to be found in every supermarket. From the article you will learn about the features of such a product as sago groats - what it is and what dishes are prepared from it.

Features of sago groats

How is sago extracted?

Sago is a small cereal of white color that looks like polystyrene and is obtained by processing starch. The source of starch is sago, wax and some other types of palm trees. In India, Southeast Asia and other southern countries where they grow dishes based on sago groats - this is the basis of the diet.

Sago palm trees die after the extraction of useful starch. For this, young specimens are used, because in fresh trunks it is especially plentiful. Starch turns into cereal as a result of:

1. washing the core of the palm;
2. rubbing through a sieve with a hot sheet of iron underneath;
3. drying.

Varieties of sago

Sago is sometimes made from potato and corn starch, but such cereal is an artificial option that does not have all the properties of a real one. In Europe, sago groats made from sago flour, which is exported from tropical latitudes, are popular. There is tapioca sago, obtained from the roots of cassava - a shrub plant.

Sago in cooking

The most famous property of sago flour is the ability to be a natural thickener. On its basis, they make not only side dishes, cereals, soups, puddings, but also pastries. It has a very weak unexpressed taste, but it perfectly absorbs the taste and smell of related products - spices, herbs, etc.

The composition of sago groats

The chemical composition of sago

Natural sago differs from artificial sago in its rich chemical composition. Croup contains:

1. proteins;
2. simple carbohydrates;
3. fats
4. starch;
5. alimentary fiber;
6. sugar.

Besides the fact that sago is a low-calorie groats, it also does not contain gluten (known as gluten) and complex proteins. This allows cereals to be the basis of many diets and be included in the diet of children and adults with allergies to gluten. It successfully replaces many cereals from cereals that are familiar to us, because it never causes problems with the intestines and gastrointestinal organs. An exception is the individual intolerance of sago, which can be detected only when consumed.

Vitamins that are in the sago groats:

1. b vitamins;
2. vitamin A, E, H, PP;
3. choline.

The mineral value of sago groats

Minerals in sago:

1. boron for metabolic processes, the absorption of vitamin D;
2. phosphorus for strong bones and teeth, muscle activity;
3. molybdenum for tissue respiration, the synthesis of fats and carbohydrates, to cleanse the body of toxic substances (including alcohol decay products), to activate the production of amino acids;
4. silicon for normal growth and formation of bone and connective tissue, reducing the rate of development of atherosclerosis;
5. vanadium for the work of the heart, bones, teeth;
6. titanium for bone marrow function, maintaining the immune system;
7. potassium for the kidneys and intestines, protein synthesis, transmission of nerve impulses;
8. zinc for metabolism, the activity of the brain and nervous system, etc.

Of course, it is difficult to provide a complete list of trace elements, but it can be argued that they are so fully balanced that they fully and diversely fill the human needs for useful substances.

a cleansing, energizing and valuable mineral product for the preparation of soups, casseroles and other homemade dishes

Useful properties of sago groats

The use of sago has a positive effect on the intestines. Fiber (dietary fiber) in its composition helps to cleanse it of harmful substances - toxins and toxins.

Due to the fact that sago has an enveloping property for mucous membranes, it is recommended for diseases of the digestive system and for their prevention.

Croup sago improves appetite, is a source of energy, promotes proper absorption of fats and helps normalize the activity of the nervous system.

Recipes with sago groats

Sago has long been popular all over the world, although it is only found in southern countries. where palm trees grow. This cereal can be the basis of the first and second courses, pastries, desserts, drinks.

Veal Bone Sago Soup

For the recipe you need:

1. sago;
2. calf bones - 1.5 kg;
3. onions - 500 g;
4. flour - 1 tbsp. l .;
5. egg yolk - 2 pcs.;
6. cream (more than 20%) - ½ tbsp .;
7. butter - 1 tbsp. l

Sago is boiled separately in the broth (1 tbsp. Cereals per 3 l).

Cook the broth on the bones and strain it. Fry finely chopped onion in oil until golden brown. Add flour and broth, boil the onion a little, so that it boils. Next, you need to use a sieve to wipe the onion, pour in the broth, add whipped egg yolks and cream and heat, but do not boil.

When serving, first put sago on a plate, and then fill it with broth.

Milk soup

To make milk soup you need:

1. sago - ½ st .;
2. milk - 6 tbsp .;
3. water;
4. butter - 1 tbsp. l .;
5. lump sugar - 3 - 4 pcs.;
6. cinnamon - 1 piece. or a pinch;
7. sweet almonds - 1/3 tbsp .;
8. rose water - 200 ml.

Rose water is a diluted essence of rose petals, widely used in Indian dishes. You can not include it in the recipe.

Sago is boiled in the water until half cooked, then boiling milk is added to the cereal, sugar and spices are added.

Casserole of sago, cottage cheese and oranges

To prepare the casserole you will need:

1. sago - 1 tbsp .;
2. cottage cheese - 500 g;
3. orange - 1 pc.;
4. egg - 1 pc.;
5. sugar - 6 tbsp. l .;
6. butter - 30 g;
7. saffron - a pinch;
8. dried apricots - 10 pcs.;
9. cinnamon, vanilla - a whisper.

Squeeze the juice from the orange to make 1 cup. If one orange is not enough, use more. Mix half a glass of juice with a glass of water, bring to a boil, add groats and saffron. Mix everything and make the fire weak. Cook porridge until cooked, adding the remaining juice, sugar (1 tbsp.) And butter. While the porridge cools, grind the cottage cheese with sugar and zest, add the egg, vanilla, cinnamon. Pre-pour dried apricots with boiling water, cut into small pieces. Mix and bake everything at 170 degrees 45 minutes.

Dishes from sago groats can be truly exotic, which will surprise both home and guests. In order to get the most out of them, carefully choose cereals, give preference to a natural product.