Modern cooking culture has been reduced to instant noodles and microwave meals. And that’s all the time that many people have been allowed to devote to their nutrition. Our society prioritizes work over well-being and many people have been integrating into a new culture that can easily put zero emphasis on self-care through food. How are we meant to do proper work, when our bodies aren’t given appropriate nourishment?
Here’s a nutritious traditional dessert you can enjoy with no worries as it is a healthy version. At least it is not instant!
INGREDIENTS
- 4 medium-sized bananas
- 1/2 cup sago
- 2 cups water + 1.25 litres (5 cups) water for cooking sago
- 500 ml pure coconut milk
- 80g Gula Melaka
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 pandan (screwpine) leaves tied into three knots
DIRECTIONS
- Bring 5 cups of water to the boil, then slowly pour in sago beads.
- Bring down to medium heat, then stir occasionally for 25 minutes. The beads should start turning translucent with white centers.
- Turn off heat and let beads stand in water for an additional 5 minutes, for the beads to turn completely translucent.
- Drain water from sago with a sieve, then ‘wash’ sago under cool water for 2 minutes.
- Leave aside. You can leave it in a bowl of cool water to prevent sago from sticking together, then drain right before adding sago to the rest of the dish.
- Put gula melaka, salt and leaves into a pot. Pour in coconut cream and 2 cups water. Cook on high heat, for 10 minutes or until the liquid starts to bubble, then bring down immediately down to medium to low heat. Cook on this heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce to lowest heat, remove pandan leaves, add sliced bananas and simmer for a further 2 minutes.
- Stir in sago.
- Serve immediately.
Health benefits of bananas
Bananas are one of the best fruit sources of vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 from bananas is easily absorbed by your body and a medium-sized banana can provide about a quarter of your daily vitamin B6 needs.
Vitamin B6 helps your body:
- produce red blood cells,
- metabolise carbohydrates and fats, turning them into energy,
- metabolise amino acids,
- remove unwanted chemicals from your liver and kidneys, and
- maintain a healthy nervous system.
Vitamin B6 is also good for pregnant women as it helps meet their baby’s development needs.
In conclusion, it is important to choose your meal wisely. You do not want to keep going for fast food or instant that will affect your health. Cooking at home saves you money. And it feeds you and the people you care about. Hard to get a hobby as constructive as that! But even if really you are a busy person, you still can fuel up your body with vitamins the quickest way by taking supplements. You take it daily every morning and you are good, no cooking required. Time save!