Cold Honeydew Melon and Coconut Soup

Banquets in Hong Kong are usually followed by rich pastries, and invariably dessert includes this sweet cold ‘soup’. No doubt of Southeast Asian inspiration, it gives a sweet and refreshing finish to any meal. I use tapioca to thicken the soup here, as a substitute for sago, which is a starch obtained from the stem of the Southeast Asian sago palm. Tapioca is prepared from the tuberous roots of the tropical cassava or manioc shrub and is a good substitute for sago. The melons should be very