Place the tapioca pearls in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain through a fine-mesh sieve and rinse briefly under cold water.

Combine the coconut milk and 250 ml water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Add the drained tapioca pearls and stir to distribute evenly. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until the pearls are almost fully translucent with just a faint dot in the center.

Stir in the sugar and salt. Cook for a further 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the pudding looks glossy and slightly thickened.

Remove from heat. Stir in the coconut cream and pandan or vanilla extract. The pudding will look a little loose at this stage - it thickens as it cools.

Let the pudding sit for 5 minutes off the heat, stirring once halfway through.

Ladle into bowls. Top each serving with mango cubes, a drizzle of coconut cream, and a pinch of toasted sesame seeds if using. Serve warm, or let cool completely and refrigerate for 2 hours for a chilled version.