Nothing beats a glass of this cool refreshing Honeydew Sago Dessert with coconut milk on a warm summer’s day. Big on taste and very easy to prepare.
Honeydew melons are beginning to emerge at the grocery stores as the weather warms up. I brought one home with me this past weekend as I have been wanting to make this Honeydew Sago Dessert for a while now. Often served at Chinese wedding banquets in Malaysia, this light and refreshing dessert is the perfect ending to a 10-course feast.
Sago is a starch extracted from the pith of the sago palm. This starch is made into sago pearls and is often used in desserts like Ebony n Ivory. In Southeast Asia, sago pearls are more commonly found than tapioca pearls. Though they are very similar in appearance, taste, and texture, I find sago pearls to retain its shape better. Unfortunately I have not seen sago pearls here in the US. My precious stock was purchased during my last visit to Malaysia.
This Honeydew Sago Dessert is very simple to prepare and there is no need to have a banquet in order to serve this. 🙂 Ready to drink coconut milk in cartons make it really convenient for desserts such as this. If you are using fresh or canned coconut milk, please do boil it with a pinch of salt before chilling in the refrigerator.
Pandan (screwpine) leaves imparts a sweet fragrance to the syrup. It can be purchased in the frozen section of Asian grocery stores. You may have to ask for la dua at the Vietnamese stores.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 small honeydew melon
- 1/3 cup sago or tapioca pearls (50g)
- 1 cup coconut milk from carton** (240ml)
- 1 cup crushed ice
Syrup
- ½ cup sugar (110g)
- ½ cup water (120ml)
- 2 pandan leaves (rinse and knotted)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cover sago with water and allow to soak for 30 minutes.
- Halve honeydew melon and scoop out the seeds. Using a melon baller, scoop out little balls of flesh. Remove skin and puree the remaining melon. Place melon balls and puree in separate containers. Chill in the refrigerator.
- Cook sago in a pot of boiling water until translucent. Sago is cooked when center is no longer opaque, about 7 to 8 minutes. Pour sago into a sieve and place under running water to remove excessive starch. Drain well.
- Prepare syrup by placing sugar, water, and pandan leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir till sugar dissolves, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off heat and remove pandan leaves.
- To serve, combined chilled honeydew puree, sago, and coconut milk in a large bowl. Add crushed ice and syrup to taste. Scoop into individual serving bowls and drop in a few melon balls.
NOTES
NUTRITION
I like to serve this Honeydew Sago Dessert in glass or crystal bowls but it is normally served in small soup bowls at the Chinese banquets.
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
Haruna says
May 25, 2011 at 4:18 pmLooks so tempting. Cool and sweet!:D
Muskaan says
May 25, 2011 at 4:51 pmVery cool and refreshing…
Belinda @zomppa says
May 25, 2011 at 5:25 pmHoneydew and coconut – what a neat and refreshing combination!
Kate at Diethood says
May 25, 2011 at 7:11 pmI don’t care for melons, any type of melons, but this sounds like something I need to try… sounds sooo refreshing!
Lisa H. says
May 25, 2011 at 8:38 pmThis is gorgeous dessert :).have not had this for a long time . Honey dew is quite expensive over here 🙁
Biren says
May 26, 2011 at 8:13 amOver here, honeydew cost more than cantaloupe. Back in Malaysia, I remember cantaloupe cost way more. Thanks for your compliment. 🙂
Lindsey@Lindselicious says
May 25, 2011 at 10:14 pmBiren, I love all the food you expose us too. I totally want to try this. It looks so refreshing and a nice end to a dinner.
Biren says
May 26, 2011 at 8:14 amLindsey, I am glad you are enjoying the posts. 🙂
Nasi Lemak Lover says
May 25, 2011 at 10:56 pmthis is really really refreshing and cool, wish i can have a bowl right now as the weather here is so hot…
Jasmine says
May 25, 2011 at 10:58 pmi saw honeydew when i went to wet market with my mum yesterday. this look so extremely refreshing and delicious esp for such hot weather now! i wish you’re my neighbour! 😀 im sure it taste YUMMY! (: (:
Nami says
May 25, 2011 at 11:17 pmOh wow! Biren, this is really pretty! I always wondered what kind of leaves these are and what is the reason to put it, and you answered my mystery. This looks lovely and I’m sure it tastes good. I do have sago leftover, so I have to gather all the ingredients. 😉 I’ll buy the coconut drink next time too. I never bought one before. 🙂
Biren says
May 26, 2011 at 8:22 amThanks Nami! Pandan leaves are commonly used in Southeast Asia. My mom grows them in pots so that she can have them within easy reach. Coconut milk in cartons is relatively new. I prefer it to canned ones and use it in my cooking and baking.
Chris's Gourmet Fashion says
May 26, 2011 at 12:57 amI love honeydew melons – your recipe looks so fresh and delicous. I’m learning something every time I read your blog. I did not know what Pandan leaves were – next time I visit the chinese supermarket I’ll keep an eye out for them 🙂
Biren says
May 26, 2011 at 8:23 amGlad to hear you are enjoying the posts. 🙂
Zoe says
May 26, 2011 at 1:01 amLook very refreshing to me. I love the lovely greens of this dessert. It is also very difficult to get fresh Pandan leaves in Australia and I usually freeze them if I buy them.
Biren says
May 26, 2011 at 8:25 amThe ones we get here comes from Thailand. They are sold in the frozen section of the Aisian grocery stores. I am happy it is available. 🙂
Blackswan says
May 26, 2011 at 1:05 amI’m so sorry about your post being stolen. I’ve been hearing this from u & Mary Moh. That’s really unethical. I don’t know how to track so I wouldn’t know even mine is being stolen :<
Hey, Melon Sago is one of my fave. Feel like having one since the weather is so hot out there. Love it!
Biren says
May 26, 2011 at 10:22 amIt is really frustrating and sometimes ignorance is bliss. The trackback is a feature in WordPress that alerts you when someone links to you. I am not sure if there is a feature like that in Blogger.
I miss this dessert and have not eaten it in a while. It is really good for the warmer weather.
tigerfish says
May 26, 2011 at 3:01 amI prefer cantaloupe to honeydew and whenever they are in season – abt 49cents/lb at the stores – I usually get 2-3! 😀
I tried adding the remaining honeydew flesh from the rind to savory (Chinese) soups before and they taste quite good!
Biren says
May 26, 2011 at 8:26 amHoneydew in savory soups? Must be like the Chinese winter melon. 🙂
Lucy @ Lucy eats says
May 26, 2011 at 3:24 amYum, looks like my kind of dessert! I love sago and honeydew sounds like a wonderful addition. Looks like I need to get myself a melon baller..
kitchen flavours says
May 26, 2011 at 5:31 amOh my, this looks yum! I bought a packet of sago pearls a few months ago and it is still in my pantry! Feel so guilty now! 🙂
Love this dessert, good anytime of the day!
Pam says
May 26, 2011 at 8:10 amOh, this looks really refreshing and perfect for summer!
Anncoo says
May 26, 2011 at 9:32 amBiren, you made my favorite desserts again. 🙂 Do you want to consider to open a dessert shop, so I can be your first customer 🙂
Adora's Box says
May 26, 2011 at 9:46 amThis really sounds so delicious, Biren. The melons are starting to sell in the shops here and I can’t wait to make this for my husband and daughter. Both are big fans of melons and sago. Thanks for the tip on how to cook sago. I don’t soak it so it takes a while to cook. You can but coconut milk in cartons to drink! How lucky.
Sarah Naveen says
May 26, 2011 at 9:54 amThis is something I want now..Yummy and refreshing
Cheah says
May 26, 2011 at 10:46 amThis is so refreshing, a saviour in this perpetual summer here in Malaysia!
wizzythestick says
May 26, 2011 at 4:48 pmInteresting recipe. I’ll have to hunt down the pandan leaves in order to try it
Reeni says
May 26, 2011 at 8:28 pmI always thought sago and tapioca were one and the same! This is so different from any dessert I’ve ever had – in a good way! It’s really nice for summer – so refreshing with the melon being the star of the show.
sophia says
May 26, 2011 at 9:46 pmHee hee I’m chewing on honeydew flavored gummy right now…but wouldn’t I love to try this dessert! You know, sago is actually in my grocery list for some time now. 🙂
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
May 26, 2011 at 10:15 pmWhat a cool looking and cool flavored treat. I’d love the try this. 🙂
tia @ buttercreambarbie says
May 27, 2011 at 3:51 amawww my mom used to make this! reminds me of being a little girl.
Angie's Recipes says
May 27, 2011 at 6:19 amHad some honeydew melon today too. They taste really good when in season. The sago dessert looks delectable!
Parsley Sage says
May 27, 2011 at 8:30 amJust saw your guest post at Jill’s blog and I had to come and give your blog a proper snoop! It’s awesome and this honeydew dessert looks simply delicious!
Biren says
May 27, 2011 at 2:36 pmThanks for stopping by! So glad to “meet you”. 🙂
Nutmeg Nanny says
May 31, 2011 at 9:19 amYou always make the most beautiful desserts! I love the use of honeydew melon. It look so delicious 🙂
PolaM says
May 31, 2011 at 8:15 pmThis look really fresh and delicious!
Mari says
February 28, 2013 at 9:57 pmIt looks delicious. Wonderful combination of flavors. Why do you recommend boiling the canned coconut milk with a pinch of salt before chilling?
Biren says
March 2, 2013 at 12:48 amI have always been taught to boil coconut milk to pasteurize it before consumption back in Malaysia as “raw” milk can sometimes cause tummy ache. Adding a pinch of salt to the coconut milk improves its flavor. 🙂