Tapioca pearl

Bring plenty of water to a boil, stir in the pearls and simmer for about 10–15 minutes, stirring often, until they look mostly translucent. Turn off the heat, cover for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water; use them promptly in a dessert or drink.

Small dried pearls usually go straight into boiling water. Large pearls, including the chewy kind used in bubble tea, may need a different method or soaking, so follow the packet’s instructions rather than treating every size alike.

Keep uncooked pearls in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard; moisture can make them spoil or clump. Cooked pearls are best used soon after cooking, as refrigeration makes them firm and less pleasantly chewy.

They thicken puddings and sweet soups, and are cooked with coconut milk, fruit or sweetened milk for desserts. In bubble tea, large cooked pearls are added to iced tea or milk tea and served with a wide straw.

Small sago pearls are the closest swap: cook them until translucent and use them in the same kind of pudding. They are made from a different starch, so the texture may be slightly different.

Tapioca pearls are made from starch extracted from cassava root. The starch is moistened, rolled into small balls and dried; the pearls turn soft and translucent when cooked.