Sai mai lo (西米露) or taro & tapioca pearl dessert is a classic Cantonese sweet soup. This instant pot taro sago recipe is very simple. It's only 30 minutes! Enjoy coconut milk taro sago dessert.
Love Chinese dessert soup? Check out these sweet red bean soup, black sesame soup , green mung bean soup and black glutinous rice dessert recipes.
What is taro sago dessert (椰汁芋頭西米露)?
Taro sago is a type tong sui, Cantonese dessert soup. Also, it often calls sai mai lo (西米露) which means sago soup. This is a classic Chinese dessert often serves 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 calls kalo.
Beside, it is widely found in tropical regions like southeast Asia and Polynesia. Often taro uses for dessert, sweet filling, stir fry and braised 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 instant pot to cook taro because it is faster. Manual for 4 minutes at high pressure and natural release. If you dice taro very small, I recommend manual for 3 minutes and natural release. Then, drain the water.
- I find out the best way to cook small tapioca is boiling them over the stove for 10 minutes. Then, cover the lid and turn off fire for 5-8 minutes. Drain them and rinse with cold water.
- Pour coconut milk, water, sugar into instant and put sauté button. Wait until it’s boiling then turn off instant pot and add sago and taro.
- You can serve them as hot or cold.
FAQs:
How long does it take to cook sago?
It's around 15-18 minutes. The best way to cook through small tapioca is boiling them for 10 minutes. Then, turn off fire and cover the lid for 5-8 minutes.
How to cook taro?
Most of time I peel the skin, dice it and boil them. But, some people like to steam them.
How long is sai mai lo good for?
When you refrigerate them, it is good for 2-3days.
Instructions for how to make instant pot taro sago dessert soup:
1. Peel and wash taro and cut them into small cubes.
2. Then, put cut taro into instant pot and manual for 4 minutes at high pressure and natural release.
3. While cooking taro in instant pot, use a pot to cook sago. Remember to wait until water boil, add ½ cup of tapioca. Let it boil or simmer for 10 minutes. After that, cover the lid and turn off fire. Let it wait for 5-8 minutes.
4. Drain cooked sago and rinse with cold water.
5. When taro is done, drain the water.
6. Push the button sauté for 10 minutes. Add 1 can of coconut milk, 2 cups of water and ¾ cup of sugar. Wait until it’s boiling, then turn off instant pot. Next, add cooked tapioca, taro and mix them.
It can serve as hot or cold. Enjoy this instant pot taro sago recipe! Also, check out these grass jelly, white rabbit candy ice cream 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
Instructions
- Peel and wash taro and cut them into small cubes.
- Then, put cut taro into instant pot and manual for 4 minutes at high pressure and natural release.
- While cooking taro in instant pot, use a pot to cook sago. Remember to wait until water boil, add ½ cup of tapioca. Let it boil or simmer for 10 minutes. After that, cover the lid and turn off fire. Let it wait for 5-8 minutes.
- Drain cooked sago and rinse with cold water.
- When taro is done, drain the water.
- Push the button sauté for 10 minutes. Add 1 can of coconut milk, 2 cups of water and ¾ cup of sugar. Wait until it’s boiling, then turn off instant pot. Next, add cooked tapioca, taro and mix them.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make taro and tapioca pearl dessert:
- Peel off taro skin, wash and cut them into cubes.
- I used instant pot to cook taro because it is faster. Manual for 4 minutes at high pressure and natural release. If you dice taro very small, I recommend manual for 3 minutes and natural release. Then, drain the water.
- I find out the best way to cook small tapioca is boiling them over the stove for 10 minutes. Then, cover the lid and turn off fire for 5-8 minutes. Drain them and rinse with cold water.
- Pour coconut milk, water, sugar into instant and put sauté button. Wait until it’s boiling then turn off instant pot and add sago and taro.
- You can serve them as hot or cold.
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.