Smooth mango puree flavoured with coconut milk, garnished with grapefruit and accompanied by soft tapioca pearls, mango sago is such a delectable treat!
I can eat mango everyday. Seriously! Beautiful on its own, it can also be used to create numerous delectable desserts. Take Hong Kong style mango pancake for example. It has been very popular with my readers since I posted the recipe on the blog. Today I’d like to share another mango dessert which also originated from Hong Kong: Mango sago with grapefruit (杨枝甘露).
A dessert that brings you happiness
I was immediately tempted to try mango sago the first time I saw its name “杨枝甘露” printed on a menu. If you are familiar with Chinese language, you would understand how poetic and mysterious these four characters seem to be. Literally, the name refers to dropping manna from a willow branch, a well-known concept in Buddhism which brings happiness and luck to people.
Apparently, the Chinese name for mango sago doesn’t explain what this dish is all about. However, the aromatic, refreshing taste and interesting texture of this dessert does deliver happiness to your palate.
It’s very simple to make
Five ingredients, that’s all you need!
Ripe mangoes
Personally, I like honey mango the best for this recipe. It’s sweet, creamy and has no fibres in the flesh. Usually I don’t add any extra sugar to this dish when using honey mango. However, please feel free to use other varieties which are in season (Here is a video on how to peel and cut mango neatly if you’re interested).
Tapioca pearls
They make this dish so interesting in texture. Slippery, chewy and spongy, they play magical tricks on your palate. I learnt something new when researching this recipe that tapioca pearls and sago are two different things (I thought they are just name variations)! They are very similar in many ways but have different starch sources. You are definitely free to replace one with another for this recipe.
Grapefruit
In fact, many places serve mango sago garnished with pomelo (a large citrus fruit which resembles grapefruit in flavour) instead. I prefer grapefruit for its more vibrant colour and its lightly acidic and bitter taste. It pairs well with the sweetness from the mango.
Coconut Milk & Cream
Coconut milk is a classic accompaniment for mango. It adds a nice nutty flavour to the dish. Single cream is here to provide a richer taste. You can replace it with milk if you wish.
Mango sago with grapefruit (杨枝甘露)
Ingredients
- 40 g small tapioca pearls (or sago) - ¼ cup
- 2 ripe mangoes - about 900g/31oz (gross weight)
- 4 tablespoon coconut milk
- 3 tablespoon single cream (or milk)
- Sugar - optional
- ¼ grapefruit
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add tapioca pearls (or sago). Cover and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes or so until the pearls are transparent but still have a white spot in the middle. Remove from the heat and set aside covered for a further 5-10 minutes until they are completely transparent (see note 1).
- Meanwhile, prepare the fruit. Cut the flesh of mangoes into cubes. Set ¼ of them aside. Put the remainder of the cubes into a blender. Add coconut milk and cream (or milk). Blend to a very fine texture. Add some sugar if you prefer it a bit sweeter.
- Peel grapefruit then gently separate the juice-packed sacs (see note 2).
- When the tapioca pearls are ready to use, rinse them under cold water. Drain well, then place into serving bowls. Pour mango puree on top then garnish with the remaining mango cubes and grapefruit.
- You may consume it immediately or chill in the fridge before serving.
NOTES
NUTRITION DISCLOSURE: Nutritional information on this website is provided as a courtesy to readers. It should be considered estimates. Please use your own brand nutritional values or your preferred nutrition calculator to double check against our estimates.
It looks so delicious and wonderful, i just love it is truly amazing 🙂 Great work and great recipe 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind words Claire! Have a nice day!
Such a beautiful and colorful dessert! Nice work!! 🙂
Thank you very much Heddi! Give it a try then!