Tapioca pearls are round, chewy balls made out of tapioca starch and make for a great dessert. They are also called "Boba" and range from 1/8" to around 1/4" in diameter. Usually they are dark brown to black in color, but transparent one's are available also.
Tapioca pearls are usually the smaller variant of the snack and are used in tapioca pudding and other sorts of desserts eaten with a spoon. Although the word Boba can refer to both the large and small versions, most people associate it with the larger version.
Although you can find size variations between tapioca pearls and boba, the standard ingredients required to make them are the same. Tapioca starch refined from dried up cassava root plant, sugar, and water are the three simple ingredients required to produce the pearls. They are combined together and blended into a soft dough, then formed into small beads and packaged to sell. The last step is to boil them for approximately 40 minutes, and through the process of starch gelatinzation they become smooth and bouncy.
Boba's texture is really unique. Many come close to its texture but none could replicate it. Since the pearls are made from starch, it has a very gelatin like texture comparable to that of gummy bears. The one key distinction is that gummy bears are much tougher to chew. The pearls are smooth but also not too mushy simultaneously.
Although it looks like that boba drinks have been available for some time, using tapioca pearls in a drink is a new idea. A larger diameter straw is specifically created so the pearls can fit. A tea flavored drink, typically with added milk, is mixed with the tapioca pearls to create the popular Boba Milk Tea.
In the 1980's at a store in Taichung, Taiwan, a new way of eating boba pearls came about when it was combined with flavored tea drinks. At this store, a smaller version of the pearls was used. As this new idea spread, larger variants was preferred as it offered more chewing pleasure.
While it is possible to swallow the miniature-sized pearls found in tapioca pudding, regular size tapioca pearls can actually be a choking risk. This may seem scary, but injuries concerning boba are rare. It's just important to bear in mind that boba must always be chewed completely to fully enjoy. The popularity of has soared in recent times; the selection of drinks have increased significantly and it's safe to say that boba has made its mark in societal lifestyle.
Find more information and learn more about boba.
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