Tapioca Pearls a Neutral Flavor Item for Cuisines Tapioca pearls has a neutral flavor and strong gelling power, making it effective as a thickening agent in both sweet and savory foods. Tapioca can withstand a freeze cycle without losing its gel structure or breaking down, making it an ideal thickener in ice cream recipes. Tapioca pearls and powders are most often white or off-white, but the pearls, frequently used in desserts. Traditional uses for tapioca include tapioca pudding, bubble tea or boba tea, and other candies and desserts. Both tapioca pudding and boba tea are made with tapioca pearls.
Tapioca can add body to soups, sauces, and gravies; it has more thickening power and generally costs less than flour and other thickeners. Tapioca can be added to ground meat products, such as burger patties and chicken nuggets, as a binder and ingredient stabilizer. It traps moisture in a gel. Getting Idea about Tapioca Pearls Tapioca does not have much flavor on its own, but when sweetened and added to desserts such as pudding, it adds texture and heft. The lack of flavor is an advantage when it's used to thicken milk tea powders or bubble tea. Smaller tapioca pearls are usually used for puddings, while the larger pearls are generally used in bubble tea. Tapioca Recipes
In addition to its thickening ability, tapioca can star in recipes both sweet and savory. Brazilian Tapioca Pancakes Tropical Thai Coconut Tapioca Pudding Tapioca Flour Crepes Bubble Tea or Milk Tea Where to Buy Tapioca pearls Tapioca is most often sold in pearl form, which can range in size from 1 millimeter to 8 millimeters in diameter. Smaller tapioca pearls are usually used for puddings, while the larger pearls are generally used in boba tea, bubble tea or milk tea. It is also sold in flakes and powders, which are usually used to thicken sauces, soups, or gravies. Tapioca pearls can be found at most major grocery stores in the baking aisle. Flakes and powders are usually sold at health food or natural food grocers. You may need to look online for larger tapioca pearls.
How to Store Tapioca Tapioca starch is a dry product and can be stored indefinitely as long as it is kept sealed tightly to prevent exposure to heat, moisture, and bugs. Do not store any type of tapioca pearls in the refrigerator or freezer. Nutrition and Benefits Because tapioca is the extracted starch from the cassava root, it is nearly 100 percent carbohydrate. Trace elements of other nutrients may remain in the tapioca, but tapioca is considered fat- and protein-free. One cup of dried tapioca pearls contains roughly 544 calories, 135 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fat, and 0 grams of protein.