Tapioca is an essentially flavourless starchy ingredient, or fecula, produced from treated and dried cassava (manioc) root and used in cooking. It is similar to sago. It is processed into either fine dried flakes, or more commonly, small hard white spheres or "pearls" that are soaked before use. These spheres are a common ingredient in Southeast Asian desserts, in puddings such as tapioca pudding, and in drinks such as bubble tea where they provide a chewy contrast to the sweetness of the drink. Cassava flour (tapioca flour) is commonly used as a food thickener, and is also used as a binder in pharmaceutical tablets.

A typical recipe for tapioca is to cover three tablespoonsfuls of tapioca with water, soak it two or three hours, add a little water to it, and boil till clear. It can be sweetened to taste, and eaten alone or with cream.

Tapioca jelly can be made by washing 2 tablespoonfuls of tapioca, pouring over it a pint of water, and soaking for three hours. It is then placed over low heat and simmered until quite clear. If too thick, a little boiling water can be added. It can be sweetened with white sugar, and flavored with a little wine.

External link

• The Production of tapioca