Mango Coconut Sago Treat (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

01 - ½ cup small sago pearls (often called mini tapioca)
02 - Roughly 2 cups diced fresh mangoes, cut into chunks (about 4 small fruits)
03 - 1 jar drained coconut gel/Nata de Coco (10.5 ounces)
04 - 1 can thick coconut milk (14 ounces) - pick something rich!
05 - 1 cup half and half (or swap for more coconut milk to boost the tropical taste)
06 - ¾ to 1 cup condensed milk, adjusted based on your mango sweetness

# Instructions:

01 - Fill a medium pot with 4 cups water and toss in the tapioca pearls. Heat on medium-high until the water bubbles. Let it cook for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then so nothing sticks to the bottom. Watch it carefully - turn down the heat if it bubbles too much. When time's up, take it off the stove, put the lid on, and let everything sit for 15 minutes to finish cooking.
02 - While those pearls are resting, grab your mangoes. Take a veggie peeler and strip off the skin. Cut the fruit away from the big seed and chop it into small bites. Don't waste any juice that runs onto your board - make sure it goes into your dessert too!
03 - After the pearls finish their 15-minute rest, dump them into a fine strainer and run cold water over them. Keep washing and gently mixing until they cool down completely and lose their starchy feeling. You'll know they're ready when they look clear with just tiny white centers.
04 - Take a big bowl and throw in the drained coconut gel, your cooled tapioca pearls, ¾ cup coconut milk, all your half and half, and ¾ cup condensed milk. Mix everything together well. Take a little taste - want it sweeter? Add more condensed milk, one spoon at a time, until you're happy. Keep in mind it won't taste as sweet after chilling. Last step, gently mix in your mango chunks without smooshing them.
05 - Cover your bowl with plastic and stick it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but leaving it overnight works even better. During this time, it'll get thicker as the tapioca soaks up some liquid, and all those tropical flavors will blend together perfectly.
06 - When you're ready to eat, stir everything lightly and scoop it into small bowls or fancy glasses. For a nice touch, save a few mango bits to put on top. Serve it cold with little spoons and watch everyone smile after their first creamy, fruity mouthful!

# Notes:

01 - This sweet treat comes from East Asian food traditions and you'll find it everywhere in Filipino, Chinese and Thai cooking.
02 - Try to get Ataulfo mangoes (sometimes called honey or champagne type) but any sweet, juicy kind will do the job.
03 - Want it to look fancy? Put it in see-through cups to show off all the pretty colors.
04 - Some folks like to add other tropical goodies like lychee or jackfruit with the mango.

Back