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Coconut Tapioca

  • Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes (plus chilling time)
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: serves 6
  • Category: sweets
  • Cuisine: pan-Asian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 can coconut milk (13.5 fl ounces)
  • 2 cups whole milk (you can substitute plant milk)
  • ¼ cup small tapioca pearls
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 mango

Instructions

Make the Tapioca: Place the milk, coconut milk, and sugar in a heavy bottom pot, like a small dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium heat (Use a big enough pot as milk tends to boil over very quickly). Pour in the tapioca slowly, while whisking the milk. (If the liquid is not simmering, the tapioca will stick together and you will create one goey raft of tapioca). 

Lower heat to medium low and cook, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon or whisk, until the tapioca is thickened and the pearls are translucent, about 40-45 minutes. 

Turn the heat off and add the vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Then let the tapioca sit for another 5 minutes. 

Chill tapioca: Pour the tapioca into 6 small bowls, using a spatula to scrape the last bit out of the pan. Cover and refrigerate for several hours until cold.

Serve tapioca: Peel the mango with a sharp knife. Cut the two meaty halves off and slice the mango into thin pieces. Fan the mango over the tapioca and serve immediately. 


Notes

*This tapioca is not a firm set. If you like thicker tapioca pudding, feel free to increase the tapioca to 1/3 cup.

*Low fat milks can be used but will yield a lighter, more watery flavor and a looser set. Increase the tapioca to 1/3 cup to help with texture.

*Vegan milk can be used as a substitute for whole milk. Light thin milks, like rice or pure almond, would benefit from an increase of tapioca to 1/3 cup to improve texture.

Keywords: tapioca, sweets, summer, chilled, mango, fruit, gluten free, plant based