A wee while back we shared a recipe for five-spiced banana fritters and we lamented the quality of Chinese desserts, which are generally a little lacklustre compared to their Western counterparts.

Of those that tend to really disappoint at the end of a nice meal out, mango pudding seems to be one of the worst offenders. The name promises so much, conjuring up images of a fresh and tropical sweet treat. It’s quite the let-down when you’re confronted with a tray of wobbly, gelatinous cubes instead – with no hint of fresh mango in sight. These mango puddings almost certainly came from a packet.

But mango pudding can be so much better!

Our recipe for a homemade version is refreshing and light, a whipped and set mixture of coconut milk and pureed mango topped off with fresh cubes of juicy mango. The texture of the pudding is almost mousse-like. I defy anyone to not like mango mousse!

This recipe appears in The Dumpling Sisters Cookbook 
Image by Paul Winch-Furness