5 Spice Sago pudding with Meringue & Pomegranate ginger syrup
Servings 6-8

1 cup sago
5 cups of milk
5 cloves
10g cinnamon sticks
5g fennel seeds, dry roasted
3 star anise pods
5g Szechwan pepper, dry roasted
pinch of salt
125g sugar
3 eggs, separated
75g butter
125 ml cream

Method
Soak sago in water for 30 minutes. Dry roast in pan over high heat the fennel seeds and Szechwan pepper.
Add all the spices to milk and bring to just below boiling point. Leave milk and spices in pot as long as possible to infuse flavours. Strain spices from milk when ready to use. Discard spices.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Strain excess water from sago and add to spicy milk mixture. Add salt and sugar and bring to boil over low heat while continuously stirring. As soon as milk thickens and sago is transparent and soft, remove from heat. Add cream and butter. Cool slightly. Add 3 egg yolks and mix well.
Pour into ramekins or large serving bowl. Continue making meringue.

MERINGUE
3 egg whites
1 ml salt
1ml cream of tartar
120ml castor sugar

Method
Beat egg whites till soft peak. Add salt and cream of tartar. Slowly add castor sugar while beating.
Whip until stiff peaks. Pipe or spoon on top of sago mixture.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes or until brown.
Drizzle with pomegranate ginger syrup. Serve immediately.

POMEGRANATE & GINGER SYRUP
100g caster sugar
3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
500ml pomegranate juice

Method
Place the sugar, ginger and pomegranate juice in a small pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved then increase the heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for a further 10 minutes to reduce the juices by half, forming a syrup. Remove from the heat. Strain and discard ginger. Cool and bottle.