Before the milk tea craze, there was the simple sago’t gulaman. It’s very popular, especially in Asian countries. In the Philippines, we include sago’t gulaman as part of our “Samalamig,” or refreshment. As you might know, it gets super hot in the Philippines, and we Filipinos had to beat the heat somehow, especially during summer.

Back then, sago’t gulaman was almost everywhere, including and especially in front of churches and schools. Nowadays, you would be lucky to find them in the mall. Instead, you’ll find milk tea spots on every street corner, with titles using clever puns like “Serenitea,” “Celebri-tea,” and even “Bruce Tea.” Not that I’m hating on milk teas, I think they’re great. I love the vegan versions at “Kahatea” and “Frnk.”

Still, there’s something nostalgic, simple, and more budget-friendly about Sago’t Gulaman. Nothing beats a class, so they say.

The Many Ways You Can Enjoy Sago’t Gulaman

There are three parts to making Sago’t Gulaman: sago/tapioca pearls, gulaman jelly, and arnibal or sweet syrup. For the sago, you can use whatever type you prefer. For example, there are white tapioca pearls, mini white tapioca pearls, and brown boba pearls.

For the gulaman, you can go with homemade jelly using agar-agar seaweed (carrageenan should be an okay alternative since we only need a tiny amount), or you can forgo making it from scratch and buy the grass jelly in can. In the Philippines, we call it “Chinese gulaman.” It’s made of a plant that grows in China and Taiwan, and the final jelly is black and firm –very fun to eat.

For the syrup, you can use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or what Filipinos call “panutsa” or “panocha” or unrefined cane sugar. We have so many ways to enjoy our Sago’g Gulaman. You can even steep black tea and add plantbased milk to make it into a full-blown vegan milk tea drink!

Vegan Samalamig - Sago't Gulaman Recipe (Tapioca Pearl & Jelly Drink)

 

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Ingredients

• For the sago/tapioca pearls:
• 10 cups water
• ½ cup tapioca pearls
• 
  For the gulaman jelly:
• 2 cups water
• 8 strips pandan leaves tied to a knot
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon agar-agar gulaman powder
• 
  Alternatively, you can buy grass jelly in can and cut into cubes.
• 
  For the arnibal sweet syrup:
• 3 cups water
• 8 strips pandan leaves tied to a knot
• 1½ cups brown sugar or panutsa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the sago tapioca pearls:

1. Pour water into a large pot and put o a rapid boil.
2. Pour the tapioca pearls and continue to boil for 30 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and wait for another 30 minutes for the pearls to turn fully transparent and soft.
4. Drain and rinse in cold water and set aside.

For the gulaman jelly:

1. Using a medium-size pot, put water to a simmer.
2. Mix in the pandan, sugar and agar-agar gulaman powder.
3. Whisk to evenly mix and cook for 3-5 minutes over low-medium heat.
4. Turn off the heat. Except for the pandan, transfer the mixture to a bowl, ramekin, glass container, or mold.
5. Let it sit for 30-45 minutes to cool down and solidify.
6. Cut into cubes (or whatever shape you'd like).

For the arnibal sweet syrup:

1. Using a medium-size pot, put water to a boil.
2. Add the pandan leaves (can be the same as the one you used in the gulaman powder)
3. Mix in the brown sugar or panutsa and vanilla extract.
4. Cook for 5-8 minutes then turn off the heat.
5. Let it cool down for 30 minutes.

To assemble:

1. Pour ice (cubed or crushed) into a cup.
2. Add the sago, gulaman (homemade and/or the grass jelly)
3. Pour syrup depending on how sweet you'd like it.
4. If serving to a group, combine everything in a pitcher.
5. Cheers!

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Final Word

Don’t let the three-part thing intimidate you –making sago’t gulaman is incredibly simple that you can even invite your kids to cook with you. It’ll be a fun activity for them. Plus, creating from scratch will yield a whole bunch compared to just one cup at the milk tea place. With that said, try to consume your homemade sago’t gulaman within two days. Otherwise, the tapioca pearls will make the liquid gooey. In my case, I gave some away to my neighbors and friends, which they deeply appreciated considering we are in the summer heat of the Philippines!

For more refreshments, snacks, and desserts recipe, check the Astig Vegan cookbook, “Filipino Vegan”, now on Amazon: