Sai mai lo (西米露) or taro & tapioca pearl dessert is a classic Cantonese sweet soup like sweet red bean soup, black sesame soup, green mung bean soup and black glutinous rice dessert. This instant pot taro sago recipe is very simple. Also, it only takes 30 minutes! You can also use the top stove method. Enjoy this homemade coconut milk taro sago dessert.
Love taro? Check out these taro bun, taro ice cream, taro filling and taro boba drink recipes.
What is taro sago dessert (椰汁芋頭西米露)?
Taro sago is a type of tong sui, Cantonese dessert soup like sweet red bean soup, sweet mung bean soup and black sesame soup. Also, it often calls sai mai lo (西米露) which means sago soup. This is a classic Chinese dessert often served in Chinese restaurants after a banquet or dinner.
What is taro?
Colocasia esculenta is a tropical root vegetable plant. The common name is taro. In Hawaiian, it called kalo.
Besides, it is widely found in tropical regions like southeast Asia and Polynesia. Often taro is used for sweets to make dessert or sweet filling. Then, to savory stir fry and braise with meat.
What are the ingredients in sai mai lo (西米露)?
The ingredients are coconut milk, sugar, water, and sago (small tapioca pearls). And, in this sago soup recipe, I added taro to make taro coconut milk dessert.
Cooking tips for how to make taro and tapioca pearl dessert:
- Peel off taro skin, wash and cut them into cubes.
- I used an instant pot to cook taro because it is faster. Push the manual button to adjust time for 3 minutes at high pressure and natural release. If you dice the taro very small, I recommend manual for 2 minutes and natural release. Then, drain the water.
- You also boil the taro using the top stove method. Boil for 10-15 minutes and check if it is soft.
- I found out the best way to cook small tapioca is boiling them over the stove for 10 minutes. Then, cover the lid and turn off the heat for 5-8 minutes. Drain them and rinse with cold water.
- Pour coconut milk, water, sugar into the instant pot and put the sauté button. Wait until it’s boiling or sugar dissolves then turn off the instant pot and add sago and taro.
- You can serve them hot or cold.
- If you want to serve it cold. I suggest refrigerating the liquid and taro. But, don’t add the sago in. Cook the sago and add the sago when you are ready to serve it cold. It is because when you put the sago and liquid in the refrigerator overnight. The sago will absorb the liquid and become solid.
FAQs:
It's around 15-18 minutes. The best way to cook through small tapioca is boiling them for 10 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and cover the lid for 5-8 minutes.
Most of the time I peel the skin, dice it and boil it. But, some people like to steam them.
When you refrigerate them, it is good for 2-3 days.
Instructions for how to make instant pot taro sago dessert soup:
1. Peel and wash a small medium sized taro. Then, cut them into small cubes. (Enough for 2 cups.)
2. Then, put the cut taro (2 cups) from step 1 into the instant pot and add 1 cup of water. Close the lid and vent. Push the manual button and adjust time for 3 minutes at high pressure. Then, natural release pressure. (If you dice the taro very small, I recommend doing it for 2 minutes.) However, you can also use the top stove method to boil it for 10-15 minutes until it's soft.
3. While cooking taro in the instant pot, use a pot to cook sago. Pour 6 cups of water into the pot, turn on medium fire and wait until water boils, add ½ cup of tapioca. Let it boil or simmer for 10 minutes. After that, cover the lid and turn off the fire. Let it wait for 5-8 minutes.
4. Drain the cooked sago and rinse with cold water.
5. When the taro is done, drain the water.
6. Push the button sauté for 10 minutes. Add 1 can of coconut milk (14 fl oz 400ml), 2 cups of water and ¾ cup of sugar. Wait until it’s boiling or sugar dissolves, then turn off the instant pot. Next, add the cooked tapioca, taro and mix them.
7. It can serve as hot or cold. (If you want to serve it cold. I suggest refrigerating the liquid and taro. But, don’t add the sago in. Cook the sago and add the sago when you are ready to serve it cold. It is because when you put the sago and liquid in the refrigerator overnight. The sago will absorb the liquid and become solid.)
Enjoy this instant pot taro sago recipe! Also, check out these grass jelly, white rabbit candy ice cream, Chinese pickled cucumber, spicy lemon shrimp and mango popsicles recipes.
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TARO & TAPIOCA PEARL DESSERT
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups Taro
- 1 can Coconut milk (14 fl oz 400ml)
- ½ cup Sago (small tapioca pearls)
- 2 cup Water
- ¾ cup Sugar
Cook taro and sago
- 7 cups Water (1 cup to cook taro in the instant pot and 6 cups to boil sago in the pot.)
Instructions
- Peel and wash a small medium sized taro. Then, cut them into small cubes. (Enough for 2 cups.)
- Then, put the cut taro (2 cups) from step 1 into the instant pot and add 1 cup of water. Close the lid and vent. Push the manual button and adjust time for 3 minutes at high pressure. Then, natural release pressure. (If you dice the taro very small, I recommend doing it for 2 minutes.) However, you can also use the top stove method to boil it for 10-15 minutes until it's soft.
- While cooking taro in the instant pot, use a pot to cook sago. Pour 6 cups of water into the pot, turn on medium fire and wait until water boils, add ½ cup of tapioca. Let it boil or simmer for 10 minutes. After that, cover the lid and turn off the fire. Let it wait for 5-8 minutes.
- Drain the cooked sago and rinse with cold water.
- When the taro is done, drain the water.
- Push the button sauté for 10 minutes. Add 1 can of coconut milk (14 fl oz 400ml), 2 cups of water and ¾ cup of sugar. Wait until it’s boiling or sugar dissolves, then turn off the instant pot. Next, add the cooked tapioca, taro and mix them.
- It can serve as hot or cold. (If you want to serve it cold. I suggest refrigerating the liquid and taro. But, don’t add the sago in. Cook the sago and add the sago when you are ready to serve it cold. It is because when you put the sago and liquid in the refrigerator overnight. The sago will absorb the liquid and become solid.)
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make taro and tapioca pearl dessert:
- Peel off taro skin, wash and cut them into cubes.
- I used an instant pot to cook taro because it is faster. Push the manual button to adjust time for 3 minutes at high pressure and natural release. If you dice the taro very small, I recommend manual for 2 minutes and natural release. Then, drain the water.
- You also boil the taro using the top stove method. Boil for 10-15 minutes and check if it is soft.
- I found out the best way to cook small tapioca is boiling them over the stove for 10 minutes. Then, cover the lid and turn off the heat for 5-8 minutes. Drain them and rinse with cold water.
- Pour coconut milk, water, sugar into the instant pot and put the sauté button. Wait until it’s boiling or sugar dissolves then turn off the instant pot and add sago and taro.
- You can serve them hot or cold.
- If you want to serve it cold. I suggest refrigerating the liquid and taro. But, don’t add the sago in. Cook the sago and add the sago when you are ready to serve it cold. It is because when you put the sago and liquid in the refrigerator overnight. The sago will absorb the liquid and become solid.
Ting
I followed the recipe to the letter .. however, the tapioca pearls (half cup) doesn't look like enough. will it expand more after pre-cooking them for 10 minutes? Can I just add more "uncooked" tapioca to the prepared dessert that is still hot? FYI, it tastes delicious but was looking for more tapioca pearls.
Ting
I used mini tapioca peals if that makes a difference in the volume produced. Still used the half cup as stated in recipe.
Tracy O.
Hi Ting,
If you like more sago /tapioca pearls, you can make 3/4 cup or 1 cup. Cooked sago will expand a little bit, usually double the size. You can adjust the amount of the tapioca pearls. I will not add the uncooked tapioca pearls into the dessert. You can cook another 1/2 cup of sago and add it to the dessert. Thank you for your comments and questions.
Tristina
Hello! Is there some way I can make sure that the sago doesn't solidify in the fridge overnight (I'm keeping it in a pint of cold water instead of in with the milk)? I've already boiled & drained the sago and I'm going to wait until tomorrow to add it in. Does leaving the sago out on the counter prevent the solidification?
Tracy O.
Hi Tristina,
You can just put the cooked and drained sago in a bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate it. Then, put the milk and taro (the liquid mixture) in a container and refrigerate it.
If you want a cold taro sago dessert, I prefer or recommend cooking the liquid mixture and refrigerating it the night before. Then, make and cook the sago the next day when you are ready to serve. In this way, the texture of sago will taste better.
arlene wong
I too noticed you did not mention how much water required to cook taro in the instant pot. I now see from comments 1c. to 2c. taro.
I doubled the recipe and wanted to serve it cold. The next day, I took it out of the refrigerator and the dessert it a solidified jelly. What do you recommend to de-jell this dessert?
Tracy O.
When you refrigerate overnight, it will become solid or jelly-like because the sago continues to absorb the liquid and swell.
Sometimes, I will add a little bit of water and warm up in the microwave if I refrigerate overnight.
In your case, I will add some water and loosen up. Also, you may need to add sugar to adjust the taste.
I suggest cooking the taro and liquid, then refrigerating it if you want to serve it as cold the next day. Then, the next day, cook the sago and add it to the cold taro and liquid.
Jim
Is there a difference pre-cooking the taro vs cooking the taro in the sweet soup, then add the cooked sago as the last step?
Tracy O.
This recipe I used an instant pot pressure cooker to cook the taro because it is faster. Therefore, I drained and put the taro back. When I use the stove top, I usually boil the taro and wait until the taro is soft but not too mushy. I pour some water out from the boiling taro. Then, pour the coconut milk and sugar and add the cooked sago at the last step.
Jim
Thank you! I’ll try the stovetop method this weekend.
tom
can i reheat it in a wok? i dont have microwave
Tracy O.
This dessert can be eaten cold. I think warming them in the wok or a pot is ok.
April Wong
Where can we find Taro ?
Tracy O.
If you live in the states, you can find them at Asian markets. Also, I have seen some at Mexican markets.
Janet C Louie
I followed your recipe and it came out great.
Couple comments:
When you steam the taro cubes, you didn't mention putting any water in. I saw in your picture you had some liquid so I did put in 2 cups of water
Also when you cook the sago or tapioca, you also didn't mention how much water to boil to cook 1/2 cup of tapioca, so I used 2 cups of water which turned out about right.
Tracy O.
Thank you for your comment! I put a cup of water into the instant pot to cook the taro. For cooking the sago, I only mentioned boiling some water. Water at least double of the sago amount. Don't need to be accurate just around, but need to be over the sago.