Boba, Tapioca Pearls

Tapioca pearls, also called boba, are made from cassava root (yuca, manioc, tapioca) and are very well-liked for the preparation of desserts especially in China, South East Asia and South America.

Tapioca pearls (boba) are sometimes in trade under the designation sago pearls, what isn´t correct, because sago pearls are made from the sago palm (Metroxylon sagu). The usage is the same and also in taste, which can be referred as flavourless, there is no difference. Tapioca pearls get a consistence like jellybaby, when cooked. To give aroma to the tapioca pearls they´re pickled in golden syrup or sweetened coconut milk. Nowadays a drink, named bubble tea, pearl milk tea or boba milk tea, is high in vogue. The gag with this drinks, which has been invented in Taiwan in the eighties, are black tapioca pearls, which are sucked up with extra thick straws.

© The Foodist
Image: Black Boba, Black Tapioca Pearls

Black tapioca pearls will get their black color, while cooked. On our photo You can see uncooked and cooked black tapioca pearls. Boba, tapioca pearls are in trade in different sizes and colors. To put it simply, small pearls are used for desserts, while the big ones are mostly used for drinks or to garnish fruit salads or ice cream. The latest thing is popping boba, tapioca pearls filled with fruit juice, which are quasi exploding in the mouth, when bitten on.

© The Foodist
Image: Colored Boba, Colored Tapioca Pearls

Buy small colored tapioca pearls,
black tapioca (boba) pearls
and popping boba online: