Here’s a refreshing Hong Kong-style dessert that’s served like a soup, made with chewy tapioca pearls and loaded with fresh fruit. It’s made with a fresh pomelo, also called Chinese grapefruit or, in Hawaii, jabong. The fruit is in season now, but if you don’t have a friend or relative with a tree, look for a pomelo in an Asian market or in Chinatown. It has a thick skin that peels away to reveal thick, citrusy segments.
If you froze some mango after the season ebbed last summer, that would be perfect to make the purée for this soup. If not, frozen mango from the supermarket is fine.
To garnish the dish you need another cup of mango cubes, preferably fresh. At this time of year, this probably means an imported mango, or fall back on frozen if you must.
Mango-Pomelo Tapioca
Ingredients:
• 2 (18-ounce) packages small tapioca pearls
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, or more to taste
• Ice cubes, as needed
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 cup mango cubes, blended into purée
• 1 pomelo, peeled, sectioned, membrane removed
• 2 fresh mangos, peeled and cubed (about 1 cup)
Directions:
Place tapioca in pot and fill with water to 1 inch above tapioca. Bring to boil. Cook 3 minutes, then cover and turn offheat. Let steam another 3-5 minutes, until tapioca is translucent except for a tiny white dot in center.
Stir in sugar while tapioca is still warm; stir to melt sugar. Add ice cubes to cool quickly; this keeps tapioca chewy. Add coconut milk; stir well.
Add mango purée.
Add pomelo, then cubed mango. Chill well. Stir before serving; if mixture is thicker than you like, add cold water. Add ice cubes to keep cold while serving, if desired.
Serves 12.
Approximate nutrient analysis per serving (not including extra sugar to taste): 450 calories, 7 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 97 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 17 g sugar, 2 g protein. Nutritional analysis provided by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is an international nonprofit with a local office in Kaimuki. Its mission of community service includes the promotion of a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. To learn more, visit facebook.com/hawaiitzuchi or call 808-737-8885.
