Pengat Pisang, less sugar

Work top to bottom — prep ahead while timers run

1. 1 8 min · hands-free

   Bring about 250 ml water and the pandan leaf to a boil, add the sago pearls and cook over medium heat for about 8 min, until mostly translucent.

   Why? Cooking the sago on its own first lets its starch granules gelatinise into that springy bite; starting the pandan leaf here too gives its aroma enough time to infuse the base.

   💡 Tip: Stir the sago after it goes in, or it clumps and sticks to the bottom of the pot.

   08:00

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   Next up:Add the sliced ripe banana and simmer over low heat for about 4 min until soft, but not falling apart.

2. 2

   Add the sliced ripe banana and simmer over low heat for about 4 min until soft, but not falling apart.

   Why? The riper the banana, the sweeter it is; simmering releases its natural fruit sugar, and that's what lets you cut back on the palm sugar — the key to a lighter pengat.

   Next up:Stir in the chopped palm sugar and a small pinch of salt, mixing until dissolved, then cook 1 more min.

3. 3

   Stir in the chopped palm sugar and a small pinch of salt, mixing until dissolved, then cook 1 more min.

   Why? The banana already supplies most of the sweetness, so a measured tablespoon of palm sugar just adds its caramel note — and a pinch of salt makes that sweetness read stronger.

   Watch out: Palm sugar is the biggest calorie source in this bowl — don't keep adding it by taste until it creeps up.

   Next up:Turn off the heat, stir in the lite coconut milk at the end, and serve warm.

4. 4

   Turn off the heat, stir in the lite coconut milk at the end, and serve warm.

   Why? Adding the coconut milk off the heat, and only a small measure of the lite kind, keeps the creaminess with little fat — the original simmers thick santan throughout, carrying much more fat and calories.

   💡 Tip: Don't boil the coconut milk again — stirring it in off the heat keeps the aroma fresh and un-greasy.