Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Hong Kong Mango Pomelo Sago
楊枝甘露
Recipe overview
Mango purée with coconut milk and evaporated milk holds translucent sago and pomelo for a refreshing Hong Kong dessert with contrasting textures.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 500 g Ripe mango flesh
- 150 g Pomelo flesh
- 50 g Small sago pearls
- 200 ml Unsweetened coconut milk
- 100 ml Evaporated milk
Sauce seasoning
- 25 g Sugar
- 50 ml Hot drinking water
02
Tools
- Small pot and lid
- Fine strainer
- Blender and measuring jug
- Knife, board, mixing bowl and four dessert bowls
03
Steps
Step 1
Boil water
Bring about 1.5 L water to a rolling boil; keep sago dry until adding.
Step 2
Add sago
Pour 50 g small sago into boiling water and stir immediately to prevent sticking; do not soak or rinse beforehand.
Step 3
Simmer sago
Maintain a moderate gentle boil about 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent outside with tiny white centres.
Step 4
Rest covered
Turn off heat and cover 5–10 minutes until fully translucent; if hard white centres remain, boil 2 minutes more and rest again.
Step 5
Cool and drain
Drain sago through a fine strainer, rinse with cold drinking water to remove surface starch, then drain and refrigerate.
Step 6
Dissolve sugar and cool
Dissolve 25 g sugar in 50 ml hot drinking water and leave to cool.
Step 7
Cut mango
Dice 150 g of the 500 g mango flesh and place the remaining 350 g in the blender.
Step 8
Separate pomelo
Remove seeds and all white membrane from pomelo, then gently separate into small clusters without crushing.
Step 9
Blend the mango base
Add coconut milk, evaporated milk and cooled syrup to 350 g mango and blend until smooth.
Step 10
Fold in sago
Pour the mango base into a mixing bowl and gently fold in cooled drained sago until pearls separate.
Step 11
Add fruit and portion
Fold in 100 g diced mango and 100 g pomelo, then divide among four bowls.
Step 12
Finish and serve chilled
Top evenly with the remaining 50 g mango and 50 g pomelo; serve now or cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes.
Common mistakes
- Starting sago in cold water can make it disintegrate.
- Hard white centres leave unpleasantly raw texture.
- Pomelo membrane adds bitterness.
- Hot sago warms and thins the milk mixture.
Tips
Fruit weights are peeled and deseeded. Cook sago first and prepare fruit while it rests; pearl size and brand affect cooking, so check that it is translucent with no hard core. Optional 30-minute chilling is additional, and the dessert is best refrigerated and eaten the same day.
