Mango Sago Recipe

Mango Sago Recipe

Today we are making a Mango Sago Recipe! Mango Sago dessert is a popular asian dessert that originated in Hong Kong and then spread to other Asian countries, such as Singapore and Taiwan. It is a cold mango pudding dessert that is said to have been invented by Lei Garden in 1984. Now, it is commonly served in many Chinese restaurant and dessert places.

The layers consist of creamy coconut milk (and/or coconut cream), chewy sago pearls (or small tapioca pearls) and sweetened condensed milk (or simple syrup). Sago and tapioca are almost the same, the only difference being that tapioca is from cassava root (and can come in multiple colors), whereas sago is from palm trees and is usually white. Usually, mango sago does use tapioca pearls rather than sago, but either will work.

You might also see Pomelo with it, known as Mango Pomelo Sago. A pomelo is a citrus fruit, and is an ancestor of the grapefruit. It is native to Southeast Asia, so it makes sense that it is incorporated into this recipe that originated from the same area. The flavor of a pomelo is less bitter, but sweeter, than a grapefruit. They usually aren’t too juicy, and are relatively mess-free to eat.

But .. juicy mangoes are out of season!

Because fresh mangoes are out of season (me, living in Canada, making this in the winter), I bought frozen mango chunks instead. Usually, you can find large mangoes at Indian grocery stores (at least, this is where I always buy mine from). Giant, juicy, red, yellow and orange ripe mangoes that activate the sweet tooth just from looking at them!

They only comes around in the summer, but once they’re in, they sell out just as quickly. Sometimes they’re all gone before I get there, within the same day. Yes, mangoes are one of my favorite fruits, but also a favorite in India/within the Indian community! So I hope you enjoy this tropical-tasting dessert – I’ll be in my PJs, eating this during the dark winter days and waiting for spring to arrive!

Why You’ll Love This Mango Sago Recipe

Favorite Summer Dessert: Mangoes are in season during summer, and this is a refreshing dessert to make on a hot summer day. It’s also beautiful with the vibrant colors of the coconut and mango layers, to serve as a dessert at a party!

You can make a big batch of this delicious dessert and separate it into serving glasses. Then top with extra coconut and juicy chunks of mango for a beautiful layered, summer-colored dessert!

Four Ingredients: This recipe uses canned coconut milk (out of which it separates into coconut milk and cream), mangoes, sweetener and tapioca pearls.

Desserts with simple ingredients and no special equipment (or even turning on the oven) are great to make when you want sweets but don’t want the hassle of acquiring a dozen ingredients and scrubbing baking pans!

Substitutions

Small Tapioca Pearls: These are basically edible starch and look like a small white dot before they are cooked. They are a key ingredient in this recipe and should not be substituted.

Cooked tapioca is also usually an ingredient in bubble tea! You can use either small tapioca pearls or sago here. You can find this at Asian grocery stores, or online.

Coconut Cream: Use a can of full-fat, canned coconut milk, refrigerated overnight. The next day, open the can and scoop out the thick white layer on top for the coconut sago portion of this recipe. This is the coconut cream! There are no substitutions here.

Coconut Milk: Use full-fat, canned coconut milk. A neutral plant-based milk (like oat milk) can substitute for a portion of the coconut milk. I would not recommend to substitute more than half of the milk.

The strong coconut flavor in the coconut layer of this dessert, and the creaminess it provides, is only specifically coming from full-fat coconut milk, not carton and not a lower-fat (lite) option.

I like Thai Kitchen brand for unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk because it doesn’t contain unnecessary ingredients unlike some other brands. It always tastes high quality too. This is important because I have found that some brands have this weird taste in their canned milk (I can’t describe it, but something doesn’t taste right. You know when you try canned foods and you feel like you’re tasting metal in the liquid itself)?

Maple Syrup: I used pure, 100% maple syrup. The lighter the maple syrup, the less of a molasses flavor it has (I recommend the lightest grade of maple syrup). You can substitute with another form of liquid sweetener, such as agave nectar, date syrup, brown rice syrup or others. Agave would be the next best substitute, as other sweeteners have varying tastes and levels of sweetness though.

Mangoes: The type of mango used should be very sweet, to really bring out the mango flavors. You can use fresh or frozen, because it becomes a smooth mango puree in the recipe anyway. Alphonso mangoes are amazing to use for this.

Mango Sago Recipe Notes

• Top this layered dessert with coconut flakes and fresh mango chunks to serve!
• Cook the tapioca pearls as per the instructions on the bag. Usually, the tapioca is added to boiling water for about 15 minutes.

More Mango Desserts & Recipes You’ll Love

Chili Lime Mango: Also known as Mango con Chile y Limon, this easy mango recipe uses fresh mango slices with lime juice and chili powder – super simple!

Mango Lassi: This is a popular yogurt-based, sugary Indian drink that ranges in flavor, with mango being one of the most popular types!

Coconut Mango Balls: No bake energy bites that use shredded coconut, dates and dried mango for a tropical and healthy energy bite!

Fruit Yogurt Parfaits: Vegan yogurt blended with different fruits, including mango, to form a parfait and a delicious breakfast!

Banana Cream Popsicles: Do banana desserts need to stop at banana bread or banana cream pie? Not at all! Say hello to these banana cream pie inspired popsicles!

If you make this Mango Sago Recipe, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!