Sagos

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A traditional dish made from sago palm starch, often prepared as a pudding or gelatinous dessert with various flavorings
2. A culinary preparation derived from the pith of sago palms, commonly used in sweet or savory dishes depending on regional cuisine
3. An edible starch extracted from the trunk of sago trees, utilized in cooking for its thickening properties and unique texture

Etymology: "Sagos" is simply the plural of "sago", so the story is that of the starch itself. The word came into English from Malay "sagu", passing through Portuguese "sagu" or Dutch "sago" on the way. Sago is the starch pressed from the pith of certain palm trees, a staple across Southeast Asia and Melanesia long before European traders reached those islands. Because the word travelled by sea trade, it carries the imprint of the spice routes: Portuguese and Dutch merchants in the East Indies were the ones who carried the name westward. The dessert form, with its milk, sugar and flavourings, is a later European development built on a starch that was originally a plain palm product.

Synonyms: starches, flours, bulks, piths, foodstuffs