Tasty tapioca: 5 vegetarian dishes to try
What's the story
Tapioca, which comes from the cassava root, makes for an excellent ingredient for numerous vegetarian preparations.
With its chewy texture and bland taste, you can make some mind-blowingly delicious meals and snacks with tapioca.
So, whether you want to experiment or bring a twist to your regular recipes, here are five tapioca-based vegetarian dishes that will give your taste buds an exciting culinary journey.
Creamy delight
Tapioca pudding with coconut milk
Tapioca pudding is a classic dessert, but it gets tastier when prepared with coconut milk.
The tiny tapioca pearls lend the pudding a creamy texture, which complements the decadent flavor of coconut milk.
For this, cook the tapioca pearls in the coconut milk until they are translucent and soft.
Sweeten it with sugar/honey as per your liking, and serve it chilled/warm for a comforting treat.
Breakfast twist
Savory tapioca pancakes
Savory tapioca pancakes are another excellent breakfast option that is deceptively simple yet delicious.
Just mix soaked tapioca pearls with rice flour, grated veggies like carrots and zucchini, and spices like cumin and coriander powder. This makes for a nutritious and filling pancake.
Cook on a hot griddle until both the sides are golden brown for a crispy start to your day.
Refreshing bite
Tapioca pearl salad
A refreshing salad made from tapioca pearls adds an interesting twist to traditional salads.
Just soak the pearls until they soften, and mix them with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and fresh herbs like mint or cilantro.
Dress the salad lightly with lemon juice and olive oil for added zest.
This dish makes a perfect light lunch or side dish during warmer months.
Flavorful fusion
Spicy tapioca stir-fry
For the bold ones, spicy tapioca stir-fry is the way to go.
Soak the tapioca pearls until soft; stir-fry them in oil with mustard seeds, curry leaves, chopped onions, green chilies for heat; add peanuts for the crunchiness if you like;
finish off by garnishing it all together using freshly grated coconut before serving hot alongside chutney of choice.
Sweet treat
Tapioca dumplings in sweet syrup
Tapioca dumplings served in sweet syrup make for another delicious dessert worth trying!
Make some dough using mashed boiled potatoes and soaked sago (tapioca), roll into small balls before boiling till cooked all the way through.
And finally, dip these dumplings in sugar syrup flavored with cardamom pods and saffron strands (if available)- enjoy either warm immediately or chilled later, as per liking!