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Home » Recipe Index » Sweets and Desserts » Tapioca Coconut Dessert Soup

Tapioca Coconut Dessert Soup

Published: May 14, 2014 · Modified: Jun 7, 2020 by Lalaine Manalo · This post may contain affiliate links

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Tapioca coconut dessert soup made with calabasa, tapioca pearls, and coconut milk. Creamy and delicious, it's a fun and tasty sweet treat the whole family will love!

Tapioca Coconut Dessert Soup in a serving bowl
Tapioca Coconut Dessert Soup

Regardless of how I overeat and consume more than my fill of salt and pepper shrimp when I dine out in Chinese restaurants, I always have room left for Xi mi lu. I'd be paying the bill, already stuffed to the gills, and my neck would still be craned like a giraffe, on the lookout for the waiter to bring over the complimentary bowls of this tapioca coconut dessert soup.

Creamy and delicious with loads of mini sago, it's a sweet end to a satisfying Asian meal. And it's vegan and gluten-free, too!

mini tapioca pearls, coconut milk, sugar, and calabasa cubes

Ingredients

This sweet soup is traditionally made with coconut milk, tapioca pearls, and taro.  I used kalabasa in this recipe in place of taro and it turned out just as delicious! I imagine camote (Japanese yam) or ube (purple yam) would be great substitutes as well.

Some versions of tapioca dessert pudding skip the starchy root crops altogether and use juicy fruits such as mangoes, melons, and berries with equally delicious results.

cooking calabasa in sweetened coconut milk in a pot

Cooking tips

  • Cut the calabasa squash in uniform size to ensure even cooking.
  • When the squash is tender, remove from the pot and coarsely mash with a fork while leaving whole pieces, or process in a blender until completely smooth depending on the desired texture. Return to the pot.
  • Cook the mini sago in boiling water just until they turn clear as they will continue to cook in the coconut milk. After cooking, rinse well under cold running water to rid of excess starch.
  • Sugar is the choice sweetener, but feel free to use maple syrup, honey, molasses or other sweeteners.
  • The dessert soup will taste sweeter when hot but will mellow out as it cools so adjust the amount of sugar accordingly.
  • For a smooth texture, simmer and do not boil the coconut milk lest it curdles and separates.

Xi mi lu  in a serving bowl

How to serve

  • Tapioca coconut dessert soup is delicious for breakfast, snack or dessert, and can be enjoyed hot or cold.
  • It can be cooked ahead of time and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow to cool completely and store in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
  • To reheat, place in a saucepan and simmer until heated through. Add water or coconut milk as needed to loosen the consistency.
Xi mi lu in a serving bowl
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3.34 from 3 votes

Tapioca Coconut Dessert Soup

Craving something sweet? Xi mi lu made of tapioca, coconut milk, and calabasa is a creamy and delicious dessert the whole family will love!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 263kcal
Author: Lalaine Manalo

Ingredients

  • 8 cups water
  • ¼ cup small tapioca pearls, uncooked
  • 2 cans (13.5 ounces each) coconut milk
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 cups calabasa, peeled, seeded and cut into ½ inch cubes

Instructions

  • In a pot over medium heat, bring 4 cups of the water to a boil. Add tapioca pearls and cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until translucent.
  • Remove from pot and using a fine-mesh sieve, rinse under cold, running water. Drain well.
  • In a pot over medium heat, combine the remaining 4 cups water, coconut milk, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.
  • Add calabasa. Lower heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until calabasa is fork-tender.
  • Using a slotted spoon, emove some of the tender squash. In a bowl, mash with a fork and return to the pot.
  • Add tapioca and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until dessert is slightly thickened. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 312mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 396IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe? I'd love to see what you made!mention @Kawalingpinoy and hashtag your photo with #kawalingpinoy

 

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Lalaine from Kawaling Pinoy

Hello! My name is Lalaine and welcome to Kawaling Pinoy where you’ll find Filipino and Asian-inspired recipes, cooking tips, and how-to videos. Read more...

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Harvey says

    November 05, 2014 at 5:14 pm

    Hi Lalaine!

    Made this tonight with butternut squash and sago from a neighborhood bubble tea shop (talk about improvising!). Happy bf and happy tummy! Thanks.

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      November 07, 2014 at 6:45 pm

      A for resourcefulness 🙂

      Reply
      • kitty says

        February 20, 2015 at 6:30 am

        why the color is yellow? is it because of Squash or have u put yellow food color?

        Reply
        • Lalaine says

          February 20, 2015 at 8:54 am

          The color is yellow because of the squash/calabaza. No food coloring added:)

          Reply

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Welcome to Kawaling Pinoy where you'll find hundreds of delicious Filipino and Asian recipes. Make sure to browse around and pick a favorite dish or two. Happy cooking! Read More…

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