SINGAPORE HAWKER MARATHON: CRYSTAL DUMPLING (ZONGZI) MADE WITH SAGO PEARLS

[ezcol_1fifth]  [/ezcol_1fifth] [ezcol_3fifth] WHAT:  Beautiful, jewel-like, crystal dumplings called zongzi made purely with sago pearls, which I didn't actually eat in Singapore. WHY:  Although, as far as I know, this is technically not a "Singaporean thing", but there's no reason why it shouldn't.  Its glossily translucent and elegantly geometric body is made entirely with tapioca sago pearls, making it enthusiastically bouncy, springy, chewy, the most texturally cheerful dumpling out there served cold with coconut dark brown sugar syrup. HOW:  By soaking and various natural coloring agents, we are turning plain sago pearls into colorful mushy fillings that, through baptism of boiling water, transforms into these gem-like, glassy and slick dumplings that are wonderfully chewy, cooling and simply euphoric to look at.  It's a texture thing, very much like the addictive quality of tapioca pearls inside boba teas.  The single source of fragrance and flavor that is fused into these dumplings (except the green ones that are made with pandan leaf) depends solely on these spear-shaped leaves, often times called zongye (dumpling leaf), mostly harvested from a particular type of East Asian evergreen bamboos.  It's hard to describe it to those who haven't personally experienced it, as it is a truly unique fragrance.  In