TARO & TAPIOCA PEARL DESSERT

sai mai lo 西米露 taro coconut milk dessert on a silver spoon

Sai mai lo (西米露) or taro sago is a classic Cantonese sweet soup dessert. This instant pot taro & tapioca pearl dessert recipe is very simple. It’s only 30 minutes!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings

Calories 302kcal

Author Tracy O.

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.)

Video

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.

Nutrition