Photography by Alana Dimou

This refreshing mango soup was created by a Hong Kong chef in the 1980s. Served chilled, its popularity lies in just the right balance of flavours and textures—the soft, sweet mango, light coconut cream, chewy sago pearls and slightly bitter pomelo popping in the mouth. Hongkongers consider it a staple in the dessert world.

Serves 4

Instructions:

1. To make the coconut syrup, place the sugar and 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan and gently bring to the boil over low heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat. Add the coconut cream and salt and mix well, then set aside to cool.
2. Pour 4 cups of water into a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the sago and boil for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat, then cover with a lid and set aside for 15–20 minutes, until the sago is just cooked and translucent.
3. Drain and rinse the sago under cold running water to cool it to room temperature, then add it to the cooled coconut syrup.
4. Blend the evaporated milk and two-thirds of the mango until smooth, then add to the sago mixture and mix well. Scoop it into a serving bowl, then cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
5. Peel the pomelo, then gently separate the flesh into small pieces. Add to the sago mixture, along with the remaining mango and serve cold.