Tapioca Pearls 100g

Tapioca pearls, also called tapioca balls or boba, are small translucent spheres. They’re made with tapioca starch, which comes from the cassava root. 

They are also pretty flavorless, added to drinks and desserts solely for their delightfully chewy texture (they’re similar to mochi, but a little less soft and sticky).

• Do NOT wash or rinse tapioca pearls before cooking. They must go from the package directly into boiling water. 
• You must pre-boil the water before adding the tapioca. Do not add them until the water is at a rolling boil.
• The size of tapioca pearls can vary, and you may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. For these white/clear tapioca pearls, you’ll know they are cooked once they are completely translucent, without any opaque white center. You can also taste them throughout the process to test for the right texture. 
• You’ll need to use a lot of water when cooking tapioca pearls, as they are quick to absorb water and also very starchy. Not using enough water may cause them to become starchy and sticky, which we don’t want! 
• Because they are so starchy, you’ll have to change the water a couple times and discard batches of starchy water. 
• Note that 1 cup dried tapioca pearls yields roughly 2 1/2 cups cooked tapioca pearls.

How to cook:

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a deep pot, and add the tapioca.

Bring it to a boil again, cover, and turn the heat down to medium low. Cook covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking

Drain the tapioca pearls and rinse under cold water. If the tapioca pearls still have opaque white centers, repeat STEP 1 and STEP 2 until all the tapioca balls are translucent.

You may have to repeat a few times depending on their size.

In the meantime, dissolve 3 tablespoons sugar into 1 cup warm water.

Once the tapioca pearls are cooked, drain and rinse under cold water one more time.

Then put them into the sugar water to prevent them from sticking together.

The cooked tapioca pearls lose their chewiness rather quickly, so it’s best to use them within 1-2 days.