Save Pin
I've fallen in love with this sweet strawberry sago treat that mixes juicy berries with bouncy tapioca balls in a smooth coconut mixture. It's my favorite summer snack thanks to its amazing mix of textures and bright colors that are just too good to pass up when it gets hot outside.
I first came across this Cantonese-style sweet at a busy night market during my travels and couldn't wait to try making it myself. It took a few tries to get those tapioca balls just right, but now this version has turned into my family's top weekend dessert request.
Ingredients
- Fresh strawberries: They bring natural sweetness and that gorgeous color; grab the most ripe ones you can for best taste
- Coconut milk: Makes everything nice and creamy; go for full-fat if you want it extra rich
- Granulated sugar: Helps counter any sourness from the berries
- Small tapioca pearls: They give that fun chewy feel; pick up the white ones, not the colored kind
- Coconut jellies: They add another fun texture; worth grabbing at an Asian market
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mix Your Base:
- Put half your chopped strawberries in a blender with the coconut milk and sugar. Blend until it's totally smooth without any strawberry chunks left. This makes a velvety base that will wrap around everything else. Put it in your serving bowl and stick it in the fridge while you work on the next parts.
- Get Those Pearls Ready:
- Fill a pot with plenty of water and heat until it's bubbling away. Drop in your dry tapioca pearls and stir right away so they don't clump together. Keep them boiling steadily for exactly 10 minutes, giving them a stir now and then. Turn off the heat, put a tight lid on, and let them steam for another 10 minutes. You'll know they're done when they're see-through all the way through.
- Clean Them Off:
- Dump your cooked pearls into a fine strainer and wash them well under cold water. Use your hands to break up any clumps while washing off the starchy stuff. This step's really important or your dessert might end up sticky or cloudy. Make sure they're well drained before mixing them in.
- Put It All Together:
- Mix your cold strawberry coconut base with the cooked tapioca pearls, the rest of your fresh strawberry bits, and the drained coconut jellies. Stir everything gently so it's all mixed without crushing the fresh fruit. Add cold water a tablespoon at a time until you get the thickness you like – some folks want it thicker, others like it more drinkable.
Save Pin
You Must Know
The coolest thing about this dessert is how the tapioca balls keep soaking up flavor overnight. I usually make it the night before I plan to serve it and find that the strawberry taste really gets into every pearl, making the whole treat taste even better together.
Texture Secrets
What makes strawberry sago so special is how all the different textures play together. The chewy tapioca should feel a bit like boba tea pearls but with a gentler bite. If they're not cooked enough, they'll stay chalky inside, but cook them too long and they'll turn mushy. Stick to the cooking time exactly for perfect results every single time.
Save Pin
Seasonal Adaptations
Strawberries might look the prettiest, but this recipe works great with other fruits too. Try it with mangoes for something tropical, peaches when summer's ending, or even blueberries for a milder flavor. The coconut base goes well with pretty much any fruit you throw in, so you can make this all year round based on whatever looks good at the store.
Serving Suggestions
Show off your strawberry sago in clear glasses so everyone can see the pretty pink color and all the different bits inside. For fancy gatherings, small individual cups look really impressive without much extra work. Throw on a mint leaf for some color pop or stick a thin lime slice on the edge to hint at how refreshing it is.
Cultural Context
Sago treats have been around forever in Southeast Asian food, especially in Cantonese sweet traditions. They were originally made as cool snacks for hot days. These desserts, called tong sui or sweet soups by locals, hit that perfect spot between refreshing and satisfying. New takes like this strawberry version mix old cooking methods with fresh flavors to create something that feels both traditional and modern.
Common Recipe Questions
- → What is sago made from?
Sago comes from the starchy inside part of palm trees, mostly from sago palms, and gets turned into little round pearls for cooking.
- → How do I cook tapioca pearls properly?
Get water boiling nicely, drop in the pearls, and stir now and then. Then cover and let them sit off the heat until they turn clear. Wash with cold water afterward so they don't stick together.
- → Can I adjust the sweetness?
You can definitely change how sweet it is. Your strawberries might already be pretty sweet, so taste as you go and add more sugar if you want.
- → What add-ins work well with this dish?
You can throw in some fruit jellies, popping boba, chunks of fresh fruit, or even some ice to make it super refreshing when it's hot outside.
- → How should I store leftover strawberry sago?
Put it in the fridge with a cover for up to 3 days. If it gets too thick, just mix in a bit of water before you eat it.