A bowl of mango pomelo sago in a dessert storeLei Garden's mango pomelo sago
Mango pomelo sago is a type of contemporary Hong Kongdessert. It usually includes diced mango, pomelo, sago, coconut milk, and milk. It can be found in many Chinese restaurants and dessert stores in Hong Kong, as well as in Singapore, Malaysia, Guangdong, Taiwan and Papua New Guinea.[1] Over time, this dessert has evolved into many different variations; for example, it can serve as a flavor for other desserts and drinks.[2]
Origin
The Chinese name of "mango pomelo sago" (楊枝甘露, meaning "willow branch manna") comes from the concept of dropping manna from a willow branch which makes people feel refreshed when they taste it. It is also a magical tool used by Guanyin in the 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West.
This dessert was said to be invented by Lei Garden[3] in 1984 when it decided to set up its first branch in Singapore.[4]Wong Wing-chee, the former head chef of the Lei Garden, alleges to have invented mango pomelo sago as a new dish of the Lei Garden. Inspired by the local ingredients in Singapore, Wong decided to make a dessert featuring mango, pomelo, and sago.[5]
Although Mango pomelo sago was invented recently by Lei Garden, the origins go further into the past than we realize. On the coast of Southern China, researchers recently discovered traces of Sago palm starch on archaic cooking utensils that date back 5,000 years ago.[6] This early cooking instrument was primarily used to prepare food during an era when farmers in the Southern region were growing more sago, and soy. Additionally, researchers suggest that due to the plentiful growth of Sago, it was used as one of their main sources of carbohydrates. Zhao Rukuo,[7] a Chinese historian of the 12th century, noted that in the Kingdom of Boni, they used sha-hu, or sago, as their main grain as there was low production of wheat and other sources of carbohydrates.
Variations
Many new mango pomelo sago-based desserts have become popular, including:
