Points of Interest
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Real Tapioca Pudding |
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I haven't had tapioca pudding in years because of a dairy intolerance. And I never understood what tapioca was until I could not eat potatoes either. Or corn. Sometimes you need a starch as a thickening agent or as a base for some foods. What's left? Tapioca!
What is Tapioca? It is starch made from the roots of a cassava plant. The roots look somewhat like a sweet potatoes. The root is eaten as a staple in South American and Southeast Asia. The plant produces a toxin that requires processing to get rid of it, and some varieties have more of the toxin than others. In processing it can be made into a flour that works much like potato starch or corn starch. Some processing will make it into tiny white beads which are the tapioca pearls. Think of the tapioca pearls as "the pasta of tapioca." The "pasta" has to be cooked to become soft and usable. The starch is flavorless, so whatever flavors you put in there shine through. That's why tapioca pudding is so good!
My several containers of tapioca pearls have occupied space in the pantry for months, if not years. I was so happy to learn how to use them. It's much simpler than I ever thought to make tapioca pudding. Try the recipe. It's really not difficult to make. Click here for the link. It's great!
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