Tapioca Pearls 珍珠西米

Tapioca pearls, also known as tapioca balls, boba, or simply pearls, are tapioca starch based food ingredients shaped like small balls derived from cassava roots. Tapioca pearls are the regular ingredients used in the South-east Asian drink variety called the bubble tea (also called boba tea).  Although, the tapioca pearls have no definitive flavour, they have the ability to absorb flavour and colour from the ingredients that they are used in combination. Also, the thickening ability of tapioca starch gives the combined ingredients a more consistent and thickened appearance.