Although tapioca pearls are readily available at many bubble tea shops, you can also cook them at home with just a few simple steps. So if you are looking for how to cook tapioca pearls for bubble tea. I think you are in the right place.
1. What are Tapioca Pearls?
Tapioca pearls, also known as boba pearls, are small white spheres made from tapioca, which have a slightly translucent texture when finished cooking and are often used in Asian desserts and drinks, such as bubble tea and horchata.
There are three main types of tapioca pearls: white, brown, and black. White tapioca pearls are the most common type used in bubble tea. Brown tapioca pearls have a slightly nutty flavor and black tapioca pearls are the sweetest type.
2. How To Cook Tapioca Pearls
Ingredients
- 1 cup of white tapioca pearls or black tapioca pearls (160g)
- 5 cups of water, each cup is 200ml
- A pot with lid, mesh strainer, spoon, plastic wrap, & bowl
Instructions
Step 1: Pour 8 cups of water into a medium-sized pot and place it on the stove over high heat. You don’t need to wash or soak tapioca pearls before cooking.
Step 2: When the water boils, add dried tapioca pearls and cook until boba pearls float to the surface water then cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 15 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent them from sticking together
Then turn off the heat and let stand another 30 minutes. This is the secret to helping your tapioca boba not be mushy.
Step 3: Now, transfer the cooked tapioca pearls to a mesh strainer to drain the excess water and begin to rinse the pearls gently through cold running tap water. This step helps tapioca pearls retain their toughness.
Step 4: Put the cooked & rinsed tapioca pearls in a bowl and soak them in prepared sugar water. (Dissolve three tablespoons of sugar into 1 cup of warm water). You can also use sugar syrup or brown sugar instead of sugar water.
Your cooked tapioca pearls are now ready to be used in your favorite bubble tea or dessert recipe!
3. How To Store Cooked Tapioca Pearls?
Place the tapioca pearls in an airtight container and pour the sugar syrup over them, making sure that the pearls are fully submerged. Seal the container tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Note: Do not freeze the cooked tapioca pearls as this can cause them to become hard and lose their texture.
4. Best Tapioca Pearls Brands To Make Bubble Tea
There are many tapioca pearl brands available on the market, but here are some popular ones that are often recommended for making bubble tea:
WuFuYuan Tapioca Pearls: This brand is widely available and known for its consistent texture and chewiness.
Boba Loca Tapioca Pearls: Boba Loca’s tapioca pearls are made with high-quality ingredients and are popular among bubble tea enthusiasts.
Bossen Tapioca Pearls: Bossen is a well-known brand in the bubble tea industry and their tapioca pearls are a favorite among many bubble tea shops.
Tea Zone Tapioca Pearls: This brand offers a variety of sizes and colors of tapioca pearls, including black, white, and multicolored pearls.
Golden Choice Tapioca Pearls: This brand offers high-quality tapioca pearls that are easy to prepare and have a consistent texture.
Above, I shared how to cook tapioca pearls at home. Now, you can make your batch of boba and relish it with milk tea to make bubble tea and coconut milk or add in savory cuisines.
