Boba, or tapioca pearls, are little balls of tapioca. You can find them as toppings for ice-cream, or at the bottom of your tea. It was invented in 1988 by Lin Hsiu Hui, the product development manager at the Chun Shui Tang Teahouse in Tai Chung, Taiwan. At a business meeting, Chun poured tapioca into his drink, and people noticed. It then became the franchise’s top selling product. It’s mostly sold in cold drinks, giving your cold drink a soft chewy surprise. The tapioca pearls can come in black, transparent, white, and assorted pastel colors. The most original is black.

What you need:

dried tapioca pearls
water

Equipment:

Pot
Bowl for holding the cooked boba
Measuring cups

Strainer

 

Instructions:    Cook the Boba: Measure 5 cups of water for every 1/2 cup of boba being prepared into a pot. Bring the water to a boil. Add the boba and stir gently until they begin floating to the top of the water and are plump.
Turn the heat to medium and cover the pot for 5 mins. Strain, transfer to a bowl and let cool.