Traditional Filipino Sago Gulaman Drink (Samalamig)

Pour 3 cups of tapioca pearls into a pot of boiling water. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed, until the sago pearls turn completely transparent. Rinse thoroughly with cold water and soak in a bowl of water to prevent sticking.

Place an empty pot on the stove over moderate heat and add 1 3/4 cup of dark brown sugar. Melt the brown sugar carefully, lifting the pot slightly if it smokes to prevent burning. Once melted, pour in 3 cups of water gradually, stirring continuously until the initial crystallized hard sugar completely dissolves into a smooth syrup.

Add the drained cooked sago pearls into the pot with the sugar syrup. Cook and stir until the sugar syrup comes to a full boil, then turn off the heat.

Let the syrup cool down slightly, then add 1/2 tsp of banana essence gradually, being careful not to add too much. Meanwhile, unmold 1 can of grass jelly onto a cutting board and slice it into neat cubes.

To assemble individually, layer sago pearls, sugar syrup, and grass jelly cubes into individual glass goblets. For a large serving, pour all sugar syrup, sago pearls, and grass jelly cubes into a big beverage dispenser, add 3 liters of water, mix well, and adjust sweetness and banana essence to taste before adding plenty of ice cubes.