F.O.C.U.S /-/ Cantonese Style mango pudding

I am drowning in mangoes period. I think I have 6 boxes of cut up pureed mango in my freezer now and a couple in fridge. I have spoken about my love affair with fruit and often we buy more than we can eat. Right now, My father’s mango tree is producing more mangoes than we can give away. It would seem such a waste them for them not to be turned into something delicious, especially since mangoes have been pricey and rare this season. I think it could be due to the wetter and more violent weather.



My father’s mango tree I think is almost 7 years old, I remember the first time he bought it home too. Small little thing only about 3 meters by 3 meters, not much going on but leaves and flowers for a few years too. Right now it spans over 10 meters in all directions and it is the main attraction of our garden now. Fingers cross this keeps up for the remaining days of mango season.

This is tribute to my dad’s love for mango, many hours of labour and hundreds of dollars in keeping it alive have finally paid off.

Of course he has complained and moaned about the problems facing the tree and vented his frustration in chinese, but he continues to do it. He is the FOCUSed type I guess(Follow one course till you succeed).



Of course when you have mangoes, I immediately think of one thing. Mango pudding. Yum cha style mango pudding. You hear the racket of the steel cart pushing towards your table, the clinking of the glass bowls bumping into each other. The lady stops and you order your dim sum. Thump click, goes the marker on your bill paper and you are handed an plate with a egg yellow sphere covered in evapourated milk. Mango pudding at its best is creamy without being heavy, almost too sweet but is off set with the addition of evapoured milk.

The normal ones in the lower classed yum chas are god awful, but when you get a good mango pudding you know it is made from the purest mango flesh. No artificial flavour can stand up to the unique tang of fresh mango. Asian style mango pudding really should be called jelly, but then that would confuse it with the other type of jelly dessert you can get on the din sum cart.

This is my mother’s speciality, any time we have mangoes this is the number one go to recipe to turn over ripe even mushy mango into something delicious. I am sharing my mother recipe today because it is the best one I have tasted, is so simple and can be done in less than half hour. How good this that?



I am not being bias normally I hate mango pudding, but she does it well so I am not creped out buy the texture of mango stings. Yes I am ones of those people who cannot look at a honey comb or the insides of a pumpkin without wanting run in fear.



For the ingredients, you most likely have in pantry now. This dessert is humble but can be dressed up a jelly mould or fancy glass cups. All you need is mango and your ready to go.

I would always use orange jelly crystals for the colour, but the lemon jelly is needed because our mangos are very sweet. If you like it sweet, sweet, sweet; go for the mango packet jelly or the passionfruit. I find these make a sweet pudding.

My parents were destined to be together, to make me and these mango puddings too.



My Mum’s mango pudding

Makes about 2 litres of mango pudding



750g roughly chopped up Fresh mango

1 packet of orange jelly crystals

1packet of lemon jelly crystals

5 teaspoons of unflavoured gelatine

600ml of hot water

550 of fresh full cream milk

1 egg



In a glass jug combine two packets of jelly and the 6 teaspoons of gelatine. Whisk together lightly with a fork. While stirring with a fork pour in hot water. Continue to stir until it is fully dissolved.

After crack the egg into to this jelly mix. Whisk well to combine

In large bowl place chopped mango and milk. Whisk lightly to combine. Set aside.

Pour your jelly mix from the jug into the large bowl of mango and milk. Whisk well. Divide into your containers of choice.

Leave to set over night in the fridge uncovered.

Serve as is or with a pouring of evaporated milk and more fresh mango