Sago or shortly after the inflorescence appears. The stems, which grow 10 to 15 metres high), are split out. The starch-containing pith is taken from the stems and ground to powder. The powder is kneaded in water over a cloth or sieve to release the starch. The water with the starch passes into a trough where the starch settles. After a few washings, the starch is ready to be used in cooking. A single palm yields about 800 pounds (360 kilograms) of dry starch. The sago palm, "Metroxylon sagu", is found in tropical lowland forest and freshwater swamps across Southeast Asia
Luwu Regency and East Lamasi with a total population of 91,885 in 2010. The most known culinary in Luwu is "kepurung" ("kapurung", "pugalu", "bugalu", "kapeda") which is made from sago plant ("Metroxylon sagu"). There is "dange" which is made from sago too. The other culinary is "pacco" and "bagea". Luwu is known as a fruit producer, such as durian, "langsat" ("Lansium parasiticum"), rambutan, and many others. Luwu is the origin of the longest epic in the world, La Galigo that created before Mahabharata. Some manuscript of I La Galigo is saved in European Museums, like in Leiden University Library. I La Galigo