Bubble Tea

In July 2006 I had the pleasure of trying my first Bubble Tea (also known as pearl tea and boba) while I was away on holiday. Ever since then I'd been wanting to make my own because you can't buy it in my town. I came across several recipes and here is my variation, which works splendidly! (I think).

The recipe is in three parts: cooking the tapioca pearls, making the sugar syrup and finally assembling the whole thing. Make sure you read it all through before you begin!

Preparing The Tapioca

You Will Need

  • ½ cup of large tapioca pearls (preferably the black ones, but white work just as well). They're about the size of a pea when uncooked.
  • 4 cups of boiling water.
  • Large saucepan or pot with a lid.

Note: It's roughly about 8 parts water to 1 part tapioca pearls.

Directions

  1. Pour water into pot and place on stove at medium to high heat. Bring to a rapid boil.
  2. Add tapioca pearls and stir for a few seconds to make sure they don't stick to the bottom of the pot. The tapioca pearls should float to the top.
  3. Replace lid and let boil to 25-30 minutes, stirring about every 10 or so minutes.
  4. Tapioca is cooked when the inside is still black-ish in colour and jelly-like. If the center is chalky in texture, they need a bit more cooking, but bare in mind the center will soften up with the next step.
  5. Once tapioca is cooked, removed from heat and let stand in the pot for 25 minutes with the lid still on.
  6. Drain tapioca and rinse in warm water.
  7. Your tapioca pearls are now ready to use!
  8. Store in the refirgerator in either some water or the remaining sugar syrup and use within a few days.

Making The Sugar Syrup

You Will Need

  • ½ cup of white sugar.
  • ½ cup of brown sugar.
  • 1 cup of water.
  • Saucepan/pot.

Directions

  1. Put water and sugars into the pan and stir to combine.
  2. Place on medium to high heat, stirring occationally.
  3. Remove from heat as soon as the mix starts to boil and all the sugar is melted.
  4. Set aside to cool.
  5. Store in a glass jar or container in the fridge for future use (not sure how long it lasts, so best use whithin a few days).

Making The Tea and Assembling The Drink

You Will Need

  • 2 (the brew needs to be very strong) teabags of your choice per serving (I use Dilmah Green Tea Jasmine, but there are so many flavours you can go nuts deciding which to use).
  • 1/3 cup of boiling water.
  • Cup or small container to steep tea in.
  • Soy milk (or cows milk if you prefer).
  • Ice.
  • Cooked tapioca pearls.
  • Sugar syrup to taste (about 2-3 tablespoons).
  • Large glass/tumbler.
  • Fat straw.

Directions For Tea

  1. Boil water in kettle and fill cup with about 5cm of water.
  2. Place your two tea bags in and let steep for at least 10 minutes (this makes the brew strong so it doesn't get diluted down too much by the milk).
  3. Once it's finished steeping and cooled, remove teabags and it's ready to use.

Directions For Assembly

  1. In your large glass put the ice (as much as desire), tea, milk and sugar syrup.
  2. Stir well.
  3. Add as many tapioca pearls to the glass as you like. I like alot! About 5cm.
  4. Stir once more and enjoy!

If you don't have a big fat straw, a regular one will do, but you wont be able to suck up the tapioca balls. Instead you have to stab them with the straw and put them in your mouth that way. OR, sometimes you can suck part of the ball into the straw and put it in your mouth. Be carefull of milk that might squirt out the straw when the ball is released... I've had accidents with this.

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