Mango Pomelo Sago (楊枝甘露)

This tropical fruit Mango Pomelo Sago combines the sweet nectar of fresh mangos, creamy coconut milk, and chewy tapioca sago pearls. This easy and healthy 20-minute dessert is so refreshing it is ideal for those hot summer months.

My mom tends to shows her love by dropping off a giant box of mangos almost every week🥭. That leaves me with a whole lot of fresh mangos I need to eat quickly. This Mango Pomelo Sago dessert was the perfect refreshing and delicious solution. It always hits the spot when the sun's out and is a perfect snack to enjoy poolside along with my favorite Vietnamese chicken wings. Pairing mango and coconut milk together is a match made in heaven. The creaminess of the coconut milk perfectly compliments the sweetness of the mango. Essentially, it is pure happiness packed in a rock's glass.

What is Mango Pomelo Sago?

Mango Pomelo Sago is a popular Asian dessert that was created in 1984 by Lei Garden, a restaurant in Hong Kong. The dish was invented by Wong Wing-chee the former head chef. His goal for the dish was to create a dessert that makes people feel cooler after eating it. Today, this dessert can be found on the menu at numerous Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan. It contains a blend of fresh pureed mangos, coconut milk, evaporated milk, sugar and is topped with pomelo (or in this case grapefruit). It is chilled, sweet, and incredibly refreshing.

Ingredients For This Recipe

Making this popular dessert is incredibly easy. All you need is

• Ripe Mangos: Mangos are the star of this dish. For best results, use ripe, plump, juicy mangos. You can alternatively use frozen mangos if fresh mangos are not available to you.
• Evaporated Milk: the evaporated milk adds a subtle sweetness and creaminess to the dish.
• Granulated Sugar: the sugar levels are based on your personal sugar preference. If you have really sweet ripened mangos, you may reduce the amount of sugar.
• Coconut Milk: always use full-fat coconut milk. The "lite" version of coconut milk has a thinner consistency that will not yield the same results. I like using either Arroy-D or Chaokoh brand.
• Grapefruit or Pomelo: The grapefruit/pomelo is used as a garnish. The bitterness balances out the sweetness from the coconut and mangos. If you cannot find pomelo at your local grocery store (like us) you can substitute it with a grapefruit instead.
• Sago (small tapioca pearls): sago are tiny chewy tapioca pearls that are about 3-5 mm thick. They are usually white and will become translucent when cooked. You can find sago online or at any Chinese or Asian grocery store.

How To Make This Recipe

1. Cook the sago. In a small saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the small tapioca pearls. Boil until pearls turn clear about 12 min or whatever the package calls for. Stir occasionally.
2. Cool the sago. Strain the cooked tapioca pearls and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking. Submerge the sieve with the cooked tapioca into a bowl of water to prevent the pearls from drying. Set aside.
3. Blend the mangos. Add about 2 cups of diced mango into a blender. Pour in the evaporated milk. Then mix at the highest speed until it forms a smooth paste. Taste and add sugar if necessary then continue to blend until combined.
4. Assemble. To assemble, divide and add the tapioca pearls into serving bowls. Top with the mango paste, then add in the coconut milk. Top with the mango chunks. Garnish with grapefruit, if using. Mix thoroughly and enjoy!

Tips For This Recipe

• Use fresh ripe mangos. This is the brightest ingredient in the dish. Using a fresh ripe mango is key. You can alternatively use frozen mangos as well.
• Carefully cook the sago. Ideally, you would follow the instructions on the package. However, if none are available or in a different language you need to boil them until they are transparent. It is okay if some of the sago have a small white dot in them. It will continue cooking after you strain them.
• Adjust the sweetness to your preference. I personally did not need to add sugar to my mango pomelo sago because my mangos were so ripe and sweet. However, if you are find that your final product is not sweet enough you can add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time based on your preference.
• Chilling the mixture. You can either chill the individual ingredients before you blend them together or after. Make sure to chill before mixing with the sago.

Storage Instructions

This dessert is best served immediately. The sago does not hold the same consistency for longer than 4 hours. If you have leftovers, ideally you will store the layers separately in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 2-3 days. You may need to re-make more sago if not consumed immediately.

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