bubble tea

milk tea with a chewy surprise

Bubble Tea originated in Taiwan and is very popular there.  Bubble tea can be found in specialty drink shops in some Canadian cities.  The bubbles are made of tapioca and the drink is traditionally a blend of black tea and milk sweetened with simple syrup.  There are many variations and now you can get any kind of drink (e.g. green tea infused juices, smoothies, iced coffees, etc.) with bubbles in it.  The bubbles come as a surprise as you sip your drink - a chewy texture that carries the drink's flavour.  It might sound funny but once you try it you'll crave some more!

Here's how to make your own bubble tea...
What you need:

• tapioca balls (dried, they look like a bag of little marbles)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 cups of water
• tea* (any kind) that has been steeped and cooled 
• milk (optional)
• *if you don't like tea...try a different cold drink

What to do:

• In a pot, bring water and brown sugar to a boil and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes
• Add tapioca to pot and turn down heat to medium and allow to simmer, stirring occassionally, for about 40 minutes
• Meanwhile, steep some of your favourite tea (I used vanilla earl grey & green tea) and allow it to cool
• Taste tapioca after 30-40 minutes, it should be chewy and cooked through - remove from heat
• Put a few spoonfuls of tapioca and the brown sugar liquid into a large glass, then fill the rest of the glass with steeped tea and milk and ice cubes.
• Enjoy with a large straw (diameter must be large enough for tapioca to go through) or with a spoon!