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Mango Sago

Mango sago is a Chinese mango dessert with pearl sago and a velvety orange mango puree suspended in a creamy coconut milk base. This easy Asian dessert is chilled until silky and served with diced fresh mango for a bright summer mango dessert vibe.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tapioca pearls (sago)
  • 0.5 cup small tapioca pearls (sago)
Mango
  • 2 large ripe mangoes divided; puree one and dice the second for topping
Coconut and dairy base
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp condensed milk
  • 0.5 cup whole milk
Garnish
  • 1 fresh mango cubes and mint for garnish for topping

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and rinse the sago
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook the small tapioca pearls for 12-15 minutes, stirring, until translucent; drain and rinse with cold water, then set aside.
Blend the mango coconut puree
  1. Add one mango to a blender with the coconut milk, granulated sugar, condensed milk, and whole milk. Blend until completely smooth with a thick, velvety orange puree.
Finish and chill
  1. Dice the second mango into small cubes. Stir the diced mango cubes and cooked sago pearls into the mango coconut mixture until the pearls are evenly distributed.
  2. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour until chilled. The texture should thicken and look opaque while the sago pearls stay glossy and suspended.
Serve
  1. Spoon the mango sago into bowls or glasses. Top with fresh mango cubes and a mint sprig for a bright, vibrant finish.

Notes

For the best texture, rinse the sago pearls thoroughly in cold water right after draining so they don’t clump. Keep leftovers refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days; the sago will continue to soften, but it’s still good. Freezing is not recommended because the coconut base can separate after thawing. If you want a lighter option, use reduced-fat coconut milk and swap whole milk for 2% milk while keeping the same chilling time for the best set.