What Is Black Tapioca?

Bubble tea is served with a large straw to capture black pearls.

Boba tea or bubble tea is a sweet tea mixture served with tapioca pearls at the bottom as a dessert. Those pearls are often the black tapioca variety, which have an appearance of black marbles and a distinct texture. Chefs can use black tapioca pearls in a variety recipes or serve them alone. Does this Spark an idea?

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Identification
- Black tapioca pearls are made from the cassava root and either caramel or brown sugar, which gives the pearls a light brown color. The pearls gain the distinctive black color and gummy texture when they are cooked. Black tapioca differs from standard tapioca in the U.S., as the pearls are slightly larger than a pea. Asian markets sell black tapioca pearls packaged in a semi-moist state or precooked in the refrigerated section, unless you purchase them in a bubble tea drink.
Taste and Texture
- Black tapioca is flavorless and gains taste from sugar sprinkled over the top when served alone or from the ingredients served or cooked with the pearls. The texture defines black tapioca, which is similar to gummy bears or other soft, chewy candies. Many people consider the tapioca a dessert when served at the bottom of a bubble tea drink.
Cooking Method
- To cook semi-moist black tapioca, bring 8 cups of water per 1 cup of tapioca to boil. Add the pearls to the boiling water and stir until all the pearls float on top. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 40 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the lid to the pot. Allow the pearls to soak for 30 minutes or until they reach the desired density. Rinse the pearls under cold water until cool. Place the pearls in a bowl and sprinkle with sugar. To prepare precooked pearls, cook 1/2 cup of pearls in boiling water for three to four minutes. Drain and soak in cold water until you are ready to use them.
Uses
- Black pearls are most commonly used at the bottom of boba tea. The tea is a combination of sugar, sweetened condensed milk, tea and fruit that is blended and poured over the black pearls in a glass. The pearls are also an ingredient in a variety of of Asian dessert beverages that showcase the black tapioca. Tapioca pearls can also be served alone with sprinkled sugar.

"Tea: The Drink that Changed the World"; Laura C. Martin; 2007
Ten Tea: Dark Tapioca Pearls
"The Urban Vegan"; Dynise Balcavage; 2009
"The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts"; Pichet Ong, et al.; 2007