jake wrote:
> In one word: it looked like GUNK. I had never sent tapioca pudding and
> never really used tapioca before. So I winged it (foodie arrogance). 1.3
> cups of tapioca, soaked in 2 cups of water. Which absorbed so quickly I
> added lots of milk after about 30 minutes of soaking. Boiled it. Found
> out I had to add much more milk. Added a little sugar. then even more
> milk. I wound up with 6 bowls of gunk.
>
> Still, it turned out way too solid for my taste. And I turn out not to
> be a great fan of the labor of tapioca. At the same time, it does seem
> to have all the makings to be a comfort food.
>
> Nonetheless, I doubt I'll ever make it again. But it's good to get to
> know what seems to be a tradition to people in North America (or am I
> mistaken?)

Good Eats just repeated their pudding episode.

So you soaked the tapioca pearls for about 30 minutes? Way too short,
according to the show. Try soaking the pearls in water overnight.

PastaLover wrote:

> jake wrote:
>
>> In one word: it looked like GUNK. I had never sent tapioca pudding and
>> never really used tapioca before. So I winged it (foodie arrogance).
>> 1.3 cups of tapioca, soaked in 2 cups of water. Which absorbed so
>> quickly I added lots of milk after about 30 minutes of soaking. Boiled
>> it. Found out I had to add much more milk. Added a little sugar. then
>> even more milk. I wound up with 6 bowls of gunk.
>>
>> Still, it turned out way too solid for my taste. And I turn out not to
>> be a great fan of the labor of tapioca. At the same time, it does seem
>> to have all the makings to be a comfort food.
>>
>> Nonetheless, I doubt I'll ever make it again. But it's good to get to
>> know what seems to be a tradition to people in North America (or am I
>> mistaken?)
>
>
> Good Eats just repeated their pudding episode.
>
> So you soaked the tapioca pearls for about 30 minutes? Way too short,
> according to the show. Try soaking the pearls in water overnight.

I don't know if mine were instant? The texture was fine, after boiling.
And i tried one or two pearls before I decided to start boiling them.
The uncooked pearls disintegrated between my fingertips and didn't taste
grainy. Should I have waited anyway?