Sweet and tangy mango sago is a simple dessert that is a refreshing treat and easy to make. This famous Hong Kong mango tapioca pudding is made with just five ingredients: ripe mangoes, rich coconut milk, sweet condensed milk, and mini tapioca pearls.
What is mango sago?
Mango sago, also known as mango tapioca pudding, originated in Chinese cuisine, specifically in Hong Kong. You can now typically find it in many countries, including the Philippines and the US, in restaurants like Hui Lau Shan.
Mango sago is a simple dessert that’s made up of fresh mangos, coconut milk, sweetener, and sago or tapioca pearls. Some Hong Kong variations include pomelo, while Filipino desserts (named mango bango) often feature coconut jelly.
It’s important to note that in this dish, “sago” and “white tapioca pearls” are interchangeable, even though they are technically made from different starches (sago is made from the pith of sago palm trees, and tapioca pearls are made from cassava root starch). They both have a similar bouncy texture; however, this recipe calls for mini tapioca pearls for better consistency with the pudding.
Ingredients in mango sago
Along with water, this mango sago dessert only has five ingredients:
- Mango: It’s best to eat this during mango season in the spring and summer so that you can get ripe and fresh fruit. My favorite type of mango for this recipe is Ataulfo mangoes because they offer a nice balance of sweet and tart, and they don’t have too much fibrous fruit. It’s the same variety I use for mango sticky rice.
- Coconut milk: Do not use lite (or light) coconut milk for this recipe. I recommend using full-fat coconut milk for a richer flavor and a thicker consistency. Full-fat coconut milk is the common variety you’ll find at a grocery store.
- Condensed milk: This is the sweetener, and the amount depends on the sweetness of the mangoes, so taste the dessert as you make it and adjust. If you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, you can also use sweetened condensed coconut milk.
- Mini tapioca pearls: While this dessert is called mango sago, it uses mini tapioca pearls instead of sago (which is made from a different palm starch). These pearls add texture and also help thicken the pudding.
- Salt: This helps balance the sweetness of the mango and the sweetener.
You can also add other ingredients to this dessert, like lychee jelly or coconut jelly, if you prefer.
Tips for cooking the tapioca pearls / sago
Cooking mini tapioca pearls is super simple. Similar to my post on how to cook white tapioca pearls and regular tapioca pearls, mini tapioca pearls are first boiled in water for 12 minutes. Then they are soaked in the same pot with the lid on, with the stove turned off, for another 12 minutes.
Once the timer is up, use a strainer to check on the pearls. If they are translucent, they’re finished cooking. Transfer them to a bowl of cold water and set aside until you mix them with the mango and coconut purees.
If there are many opaque and hard white dots in the pearls, this means they are still raw. Strain the pearls, then return them to the pot with water and boil for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until they become translucent.
Tips for making mango tapioca pudding
- Taste the puree as you season to adjust the sweetness, since ripeness of the mangoes may change its sweetness.
- Refrigerate the mango puree and pudding for at least 30 minutes to let the dessert thicken. The longer you keep it in the fridge, the thicker the consistency.
- Prepare up to one day (maximum) to prevent the mango puree from overoxidizing and thickening the pudding too much as it soaks up all the tapioca pearl starch.
Making ahead of time & storage
Mango sago is an easy dessert that you can prep ahead of time and assemble right before serving. You can make mango sago up to one day in advance and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat the dessert. Note that the longer the mango is in the fridge, the darker the coloring becomes from oxidation. The change in color doesn’t affect the taste.
Mango Sago (Mango Tapioca Pudding)
Ingredients
Tapioca pearls
- ½ c dry mini tapioca pearls
- water for boiling and chilling
Coconut and mango puree
- 1 ⅔ cup coconut milk full can 13.5 fl oz
- 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk plus more if needed
- ⅛ tsp kosher salt Diamond Crystal brand preferred
- 1 ½ c diced mango 2 Ataulfo mangoes
Assembly
- 1 ½ c diced mango 2 Ataulfo mangoes
Equipment Used
- measuring cups and spoons
- cutting board and knife
- pot with lid
- Strainer
- mixing bowl
- 2 glass jars with lids, 16 oz
- spatula or spoon
Instructions
Tapioca pearls
- In a small pot, add the water and bring to a boil. Add the ½ c dry mini tapioca pearls and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Remove from the heat and add the lid. Let sit for another 12 minutes to fully cook the mini tapioca pearls. They should be completely transparent when fully cooked. If they are still opaque in the center and hard, we'll repeat the entire process: strain the pearls and set aside in a bowl, add new water to the pot, heat up the water until boiling then add the pearls for 5-10 min, remove from heat, cover with lid for 12 min, then check for doneness.
- Once fully cooked, transfer the pearls to a bowl of cold water. Set aside until later.
Coconut and mango puree
- In a blender, combine 1 ⅔ cup coconut milk, 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk, and ⅛ tsp kosher salt. Blend until incorporated.
- Reserve half of the coconut puree in a large jar. Taste test and adjust the sweetener or salt. Set aside.
- In the blender with the other half of the puree, add the 1 ½ c diced mango. Blend until the mango is fully incorporated. Taste test and adjust any sweetener or salt. Transfer to another jar.
- Drain the pearls.
- Split ⅓ of pearls into the coconut puree and ⅔ of the pearls into the mango puree. Mix each, respectively. Cover with a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (and up to 24 hours).
Assembly
- For assembly, mix each of the puree jars. Add the mango puree at the bottom of a cup.
- Then add the coconut puree.
- Top with 1 ½ c diced mango and serve immediately.
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