Here's how you can make boba tea at home
What's the story
Originating in Taiwan, boba tea, also known as pearl milk tea or bubble tea, is made by blending brewed tea with milk, fruits, and chewy tapioca balls. Gaining popularity back in the '90s, this tea comes in all sorts of mouthwatering flavors. If you are craving a cuppa now, treat yourself to this tapioca pearl studded tea at home with a few simple steps.
Main ingredient
Prepare tapioca dough
Add muscovado sugar or brown sugar to a pan of water and let it boil on high flame. Cook until the sugar dissolves completely. Add tapioca flour and keep constantly stirring until the mixture turns smooth. Then turn off the flame and add some more tapioca flour to transform the mixture into a sticky ball of dough. Let it cool for 15-20 minutes.
Getting started
Roll the dough to make small balls
Knead the dough well until all the flour gets mixed. Make it smooth. Add more flour or water if the dough is too sticky or dry. Pluck small portions out from the dough and roll them with your hands to make rope-like structures. Now, cut the ropes into small pieces and roll them to make small pearl-like balls.
Sugary sweet
Dip the tapioca balls in sugar syrup
Add the boba balls to a pan of boiling water. Stir lightly so that the balls don't stick to the bottom When they start floating, cover them with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool for another 15 minutes. Drain the water and soak the tapioca balls in sugar syrup. Your boba balls are ready.
Black tea
Prepare black tea
Take a cup of water and bring it to a boil. Then add tea leaves or teabags, according to your preference. Keep boiling for about three-four minutes until the solution turns reddish. Turn off the flame and let the tea cool to room temperature. Now, filter out the tea in a separate vessel. Congratulations, you are already halfway through the process.
Creamy delight
Final touches
Add the boba balls to the black tea you prepared. Then pour some condensed milk into the cup for a creamy boba tea. You can either add any fruit juice you like to get a flavored tea or keep it simple without any flavors. Add sugar syrup to sweeten it according to your taste. Voila! Your boba tea is ready. Serve it chilled.