Boeber

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Measure all ingredients. Break the vermicelli into short lengths so it cooks evenly and is easy to spoon or sip. Put the sago in a small bowl and cover with cold water for 10 minutes while you start the milk base; this short soak helps it turn translucent faster.

2. 2

   In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the broken vermicelli and toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and nutty-smelling. Do not let it darken too much or it can taste bitter.

3. 3

   Add the milk, sugar, ground cardamom, cinnamon stick, salt, and 150 ml of the water to the pan. Stir well and bring just to a gentle simmer, not a full boil, so the milk does not catch on the bottom.

4. 4

   Drain the soaked sago and add it to the saucepan. Cook gently for 12-15 minutes, stirring often and scraping the base of the pan, until the vermicelli is soft and most of the sago pearls look translucent with only tiny white centers remaining. If the boeber thickens too quickly, add the remaining 100 ml water a little at a time.

5. 5

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the rose water. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. Let the boeber stand for 5 minutes; it will thicken slightly as the starch settles and the flavors meld.

6. 6

   Remove the cinnamon stick. Ladle the boeber into 2 cups or bowls and dust lightly with ground cinnamon. Serve warm; for a more traditional drinkable texture, stir in a splash of hot water or milk just before serving if it has thickened too much.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Boeber should be lightly creamy and pourable, somewhere between a dessert soup and a drink.
• •Rose water can become overpowering quickly; add it off the heat to preserve its fragrance and keep the flavor balanced.
• •If you only have cardamom pods, lightly crush 3 pods and simmer them in the milk, then remove before serving.
• •Leftovers keep for 1 day refrigerated; reheat gently with extra milk or water because the sago and vermicelli continue to absorb liquid.

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