How to Cook Tapioca Pearls the Right Way
This post may contain affiliate links.Do you know how to cook tapioca pearls at home? Let me show you how to cook these chewy little balls without clumping, just like the ones you get from a bubble tea store!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
What Are Tapioca Pearls?
Tapioca pearls are small, chewy balls made from tapioca starch, which is extracted from the cassava root. It is a native plant of South America and has become an essential crop in many parts of Asia and Africa.
The starch is processed into a fine powder and mixed with water to form a dough. The dough is then rolled into small balls.
The small tapioca balls are boiled to become the tapioca pearls that we know nowadays. The boiled tapioca pearls are transferred into a sugar water and mixed with drinks.
These pearls come in various sizes and colors. The most common ones are the small white pearls often used in puddings or other desserts.
The larger black pearls, famously known as boba, are usually in bubble tea. The black color typically comes from caramelized sugar. Other colors may come from added food coloring.
Types of Tapioca Pearls
Sago Pearls
Colored Tapioca Pearls
- Description: These are the traditional, small-sized pearls, typically about 1-2 mm in diameter. They’re translucent with a whitish appearance.
- Uses: Mostly used in sweet puddings, traditional desserts, and as a thickening agent in certain recipes. When cooked, they become soft and chewy.
- Cooking Time: They generally require less cooking time compared to larger pearls.
- Description: These are similar in size to boba but come in various colors and flavors. The colors are usually achieved using food dyes, while flavors can range from fruity to more exotic tastes.
- Uses: They are used to add a visual appeal and flavor to desserts and beverages. They can be a fun twist in bubble teas or decorative elements in sweet dishes.
- Cooking Time: Cooking times vary depending on the size and composition but are generally similar to that of black tapioca pearls.
Brown Tapioca Pearls
White Tapioca Pearls
- Description: Also known as boba, these are larger in size, usually around 6-8 mm in diameter. They are known for their signature black color, which comes from the addition of brown sugar or food coloring.
- Uses: Primarily used in bubble tea and other cold beverages. They are prized for their chewy texture and the way they interact with the flavors of the drink.
- Cooking Time: They require longer cooking times and are usually pre-soaked for a few hours or overnight to reduce cooking time and achieve the desired texture.
- Description: These pearls retain a more transparent appearance after cooking, unlike the white pearls that turn translucent. They are available in small and large sizes.
- Uses: Used in various desserts where a clear, glossy appearance is desired. They are often found in Asian sweet soups and fruit-based desserts.
- Cooking Time: Varies based on size, with smaller pearls requiring less time than larger ones.
Nutritional Value and Dietary Considerations
I’ve found tapioca pearls to be a great source of quick energy, though they’re high in carbs and calories but low in proteins, fats, and fiber.
For those with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, these pearls are safe to consume because they are gluten-free.
In terms of calories, tapioca pearls are quite dense. A 100-gram serving contains about 350 calories, primarily from carbs. They contain minimal protein or fat. It’s also worth noting that they lack dietary fiber.
So, no matter how heavenly they are, please consume these in moderation, especially if you are watching your calorie intake or managing your blood sugar levels.
Here are several milk tea recipes you will want to pair with these boba:
Ingredients
How to Cook
- Bring 1 liter water to a boil in a deep pot. Make sure the water is boiling and throw in the tapioca pearls (Image 1).
- Let it boil again, turn the heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring it sometimes to avoid clumping (Image 2).
- If the tapioca pearls still have some white center, continue cooking until all the tapioca balls are translucent.
- Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of sugar water (1 cup warm water add 5 tbsp sugar). If you boil the white tapioca pearls, you can use regular sugar (Images 3, 4).
- If you want to boil the brown tapioca pearls, you can either use palm sugar or regular sugar (Images 5, 6, 7).When the tapioca pearls are translucent, drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to the sugar water right away.
Pro Tips
- Do not wash or rinse the tapioca pearls before boiling. They must go straight into the boiling water.
- Make sure you boil the water first before adding the tapioca pearls.
- Since the size of tapioca pearls vary, adjust the cooking time accordingly. Look for translucent sign or you can taste them to check the chewiness.
- Always use a lot of water to boil tapioca pearls because they absorb a lot of water. If your water is not enough, they tend to become starchy and sticky to each other. Add some more water if this happens.
- If you cook bulk for a party for instance, you might want to change the water a few times. The water gets starchy and it is not good to boil tapioca pearls with starchy water.
FAQs Tapioca Pearls
Storage
Keep the uncooked tapioca pearls in an airtight container in the freezer. They can last for up to 6 months. However, cooked tapioca pearls can’t be stored even for the next day. It is best consumed right away.
Freezing cooked boba make them lose their chewiness. Even if you thaw them, the texture will not be the same anymore.
Tapioca Pearls
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 colander
- 1 bowl
Ingredients
- 1 litre water
- 5 tbsp tapioca pearls
- 1 cup water
- 5 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Bring 1 liter water to a boil in a deep pot. Make sure the water is boiling and throw in the tapioca pearls.
- Let it boil again, turn the heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring it sometimes to avoid clumping.
- If the tapioca pearls still have some white center, continue cooking until all the tapioca balls are translucent.
- Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of sugar water (1 cup warm water add 5 tbsp sugar). If you boil the white tapioca pearls, you can use regular sugar.
- If you want to boil the brown tapioca pearls, you can either use palm sugar or regular sugar.When the tapioca pearls are translucent, drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to the sugar water right away.
Notes
- Do not wash or rinse the tapioca pearls before boiling. They must go straight into the boiling water.
- Make sure you boil the water first before adding the tapioca pearls.
- Since the size of tapioca pearls vary, adjust the cooking time accordingly. Look for translucent sign or you can taste them to check the chewiness.
- Always use a lot of water to boil tapioca pearls because they absorb a lot of water. If your water is not enough, they tend to become starchy and sticky to each other. Add some more water if this happens.
- If you cook bulk for a party for instance, you might want to change the water a few times. The water gets starchy and it is not good to boil tapioca pearls with starchy water.
Here is the easy way to cook tapioca pearls the right way, so you get the boba chewy and not clumped! I love it because it tastes just like the one I got from the bubble tea store.