Small Tapioca Sago Pearls For Bubble Tea Desserts.

Mini White Tapioca Pearls Boba Sago.

WHAT ARE TAPIOCA PEARLS?

Tapioca pearls, also called tapioca balls or boba, are small translucent spheres. Their cooked size is usually somewhere between a pea and a marble, and 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). 

 In recent years, tapioca pearls have become a favorite in bubble tea, shaved ice desserts, and sweet dessert soups across Asia and in Asian communities in the West. 

HOW TO COOK TAPIOCA PEARLS

INGREDIENTS

▢6 cups water

▢1 cup large tapioca pearls (160g)

▢3 tablespoons sugar (plus 1 cup water)

INSTRUCTIONS

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. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, keep the pot covered, and allow to sit for another 15 minutes.

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.

TIPS & NOTES:

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