Tapioca Pudding

Tapioca pudding, while a simple dish, can be a mixed bag for first-time cooks. Too often, people struggle with finding the right texture for the pudding or struggle to prevent their pearls from clumping together. Clumping is one of the most common problems when cooking with tapioca and it often arises because the pearls are not stirred continuously during the cooking process. To prevent this, make sure you continuously stir the pearls in boiling water until they become clear. Overcooking can also lead to a mushy, unappetizing texture, so keeping the heat moderate and removing the pot from the stove as soon as the pearls become translucent will help. Just as important is the soaking process. Before you start cooking, remember to soak the tapioca pearls overnight in room temperature. This help the pearls to expand and soften, therefore reducing the cooking time and making for a more pleasant texture in the finished pudding. Many recipes suggest soaking for at least an hour, some even advocate overnight soaking. Flavor-wise, you can experiment with the base by using different kinds of milk (almond, soy, coconut etc.) to achieve different flavor profiles. Do remember to add in your sugar or sweetener of choice towards the end of the cooking process to prevent it from burning. Forgot to soak your pearls beforehand? A little-known trick is to boil them in a pressure cooker for about 10 minutes, then let them sit, still covered, for another 15. This can achieve a similar result to soaking overnight.