Tapioca comes from cassava roots. Consumed by the people of Latin America, it was discovered in the early 16th century by the first European navigators who landed in Brazil. The word comes from Guarani, a South American language. It is also called cassava starch or Japanese pearls.
It usually comes in the form of small white balls, a starch that expands when cold, a very satisfying ingredient. A great source of calories, this starch, which also grows in Africa and the West Indies, is used to thicken sauces or soups and to give consistency to certain dishes and is an ingredient in certain drinks and many desserts.
It is also used by people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. It is also useful for people with iron deficiency.
A starch highly valued in Thailand
Tapioca is widely used in the cuisine of other Asian countries, such as China and Japan, or South American countries, such as Argentina and Bolivia. But Thailand seems to be one of the main countries of choice for tapioca.
Among the many Thai dessert recipes using tapioca, there is one very popular dish. This popular recipe uses what are commonly called “Japanese pearls,” another name for tapioca.
This traditional and very popular dessert, which Thais call “chè,” is made with tapioca, coconut milk, and bananas. First, pour the tapioca into boiling water. When the tapioca forms transparent balls, drain it. Then, mix the sugar and coconut milk in a bowl and heat everything together. Then, add the tapioca, followed by the banana pieces. Finally, heat this mixture for ten minutes, stirring constantly, and then enjoy it warm.
Tapioca drinks and dishes
The most popular tapioca drink is undoubtedly bubble tea. Originally from Taiwan, it began to gain popularity in the early 1980s. This drink is made from a blend of green or black teas, sometimes with the addition of milk.
But what makes this tea unique is the presence, at the bottom of the glass, of large tapioca pearls that can even be flavored (different colors and flavors) or traditional tapioca pearls. It is these pearls that, by reference to their shape, give their name “bubble” to this original variety of tea. The slightly sweet flavor of the tapioca pearls blends perfectly with the sweetness of the beverage. It is enhanced with various flavors, ranging from strawberry to mango, including passion fruit. In addition, many desserts are made with tapioca and exotic flavors such as coconut or passion fruit if consumed as a flan.
This is how you can make an excellent date flan with tapioca pearls. To do this, simply cook the tapioca for a quarter of an hour and add it to the boiling vanilla soy milk.
Small pieces of dates can be added to the mixture. Tapioca lends itself to almost any dish. You can also make a delicious chicken tapioca. To do this, buy some tapioca paste and cook it. Then, use it like a pancake, filling it with cooked chicken seasoned with onion, garlic, tomato, and cream.
