Coconut taro sago dessert soup is a comforting Cantonese dessert with sweet root vegetables and sago pearls in a rich coconut broth.
When I was browsing through Calvin Eng’s debut cookbook Salt Sugar MSG: Recipes and Stories from a Cantonese American Home, the coconut taro sago dessert soup recipe brought back countless memories of dinners and wedding banquets where this dessert was served. I really enjoyed how straightforward and quickly this recipe came together. The most consuming task was dicing the sweet potato and taro. The coconut taro sago dessert soup had the right balance of sweetness, richness from the coconut, and contrasting texture between the root vegetables and sago pearls.
Ingredient Notes
- Taro: I used small taro roots for this recipe. This variety is called Eddoe with light thready brown skin, a white flesh, and an earthy flavor. You could substitute with the larger variety called Dasheen, with white flesh and light purple specks, and a sweeter and nuttier flavor.
- Sweet potato: I used purple sweet potatoes from my local Japanese market which added a nice pop of colors. Feel free to substitute with other types of sweet potatoes, NOT yam.
- Sago: sago pearls (aka tapioca pearls) are made from cassava starch and have a chewy texture after cooking. They are commonly found in Asian grocery stores and online.
- Coconut cream: look for coconut cream, not coconut milk. The flavor you get from coconut cream is much richer. My favorite brands are Savoy and Aroy-d.
How to Make the Dessert
- Steam the taro and sweet potato until softened.
- Cook the sago according to the package instructions, stirring frequently to break up the sago and prevent them from sticking to the bottom.
- Make coconut milk soup, stir frequently to prevent the milk from scorching the bottom of the pan.
- Add the sago, taro, and sweet potato into the coconut milk mixture.
- Toast white sesame for topping.
Make Ahead and Storage
The coconut taro sago dessert soup will keep in a lidded container refrigerated for 72 hours.
For more Asian desserts, try these recipes:
Coconut Taro Sago Dessert Soup
Equipment
- Steamer
Ingredients
- ½ pound taro, peeled and cut into small dice
- ½ pound purple sweet potato, peeled and cut into small dice
- ½ cup sago or small tapioca pearls (not quick cooking)
- 12 ounces (354 mL) evaporated milk
- 13.5 ounces (400 mL) coconut cream
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring a steamer to a boil over medium-high heat. Add taro and sweet potato to the steaming tray and steam until tender but retain a little bite, about 10-12 minutes. Remove taro and sweet potato and set aside
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the sago according to the package instructions, stirring frequently to break up the sago and prevent them from sticking to the bottom. Drain the sago in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water to remove excess starch. Place sago into a bowl filled with cold water and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine evaporated milk, coconut cream, condensed milk, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently to prevent the milk from scorching the bottom of the pan. Add the sago and stir to disperse them evenly. Add taro and sweet potato. Remove from heat.
- In a small pan, toast sesame over medium low heat until golden, stirring frequently to prevent burning, about 3-4 minutes.
- When ready to serve, divide the soup among serving bowls and top with toasted sesame.
Leave a Reply