So now, what's beyond the name? Well, tapioca pearls are made mostly from tapioca
starch, processed from the bitter-cassava plant, sometimes called manioca or yuca in some
parts of the world. The bitter-cassava plant is native to South America and was introduced
into Asia sometime during the 19th century where it was quickly adopted as a staple food
in many different cultures (perhaps explaining why Asians seem to be more favourably
disposed to tapioca). The bitter-cassava plant -- and the starch it produces -- has been an
all-purpose, all around useful plant. When not being made into tapioca pearls, it is used for
other industrial purposes, such as textiles and other manufacturing.
Because the nature of tapioca pearls is starch, there are certain
things that happen to tapioca pearls and, as a consequence, certain guidelines that we have to follow when
dealing with tapioca pearls. We won't really deal with the hard science involved in cooking
tapioca pearls, as that would not be very useful for us (that would also be for chemists
and our food technicians to handle). We'll deal with practical issues that are involved when
making these texture components for bubble tea.
next section: Beyond Name and
Nature: How to Cook and Keep Them »
