Shwe yin aye with cabeça de negro jelly

Rinse the sago pearls in cold water, then soak in a bowl of water for 10 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, bring 500 ml water to a boil. Add the sago pearls and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pearls become translucent with a tiny white dot at the center. The sago should be tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.

In the same saucepan, combine the coconut milk, palm sugar, salt, and pandanus leaves (if using). Heat gently over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let the pandanus leaves infuse for 5 minutes. Discard the leaves.

If the cabeça de negro is very soft, chill it for 15 minutes to firm up. Cut into small cubes, about 1 cm (1/2 inch) on each side. Keep the cubes cool until serving so they hold their shape when added to the warm pudding.

Divide the cooked sago pearls among four serving bowls. Pour the warm coconut sauce over the sago, enough to cover generously. Scatter cubes of cabeça de negro over the top, then sprinkle with toasted shredded coconut. The contrast of cool jelly with warm pudding is part of the magic.