Taro tea is a popular bubble tea flavor made with taro root powder, sugar, green tea, and tapioca pearls. It can be purchased pre-sweetened or made at home with milk and various sweeteners and flavors. Tapioca pearls are optional and can add bulk to the drink.
Taro tea is generally a bubble tea flavor made with taro root powder, sugar, green tea, and white or black tapioca pearls. This drink is very popular in Asia and is gaining popularity in the rest of the developed world. Many coffee shops sell the taro tea in cups fitted with very large straws so that customers can siphon the tapioca pearls through them, along with the tea. The subtle, sweet flavor of taro root usually makes this tea richer, and it can also act as a vehicle for different tea flavors.
Commercial producers often sell pre-sweetened taro powders online and in specialty stores. These blends usually include powdered taro root, powdered matcha green tea, sugar, and flavoring extracts, such as vanilla or honey. Consumers can simply mix a spoonful or two of the powder into a glass of water or milk and enjoy. Tapioca pearls are not typically added to prepackaged mixes, so consumers have a choice whether or not to add them. The pearls don’t usually add extra nutrition, they’re basically little balls of cornstarch paste that add bulk and substance to the tea.
Those who want to know exactly what is in their taro tea can purchase pure taro powder and make their own tea mix from it. Homemade taro usually starts with 1 or 2 parts iced green tea and a tablespoon or two of taro powder. Next comes the sweetener and all the added flavors. Some cooks may want to go all natural and use honey, agave nectar or date sugar. Others may prefer white or raw sugar, sucralose or saccharin. Extracts, such as vanilla or almond, can be added and blended into the next.
Milk is almost always included in taro tea drinks. Most recipes call for milk or cream, but cooks can use any type of milk they like. Low-fat milk is fine, as is non-dairy milk. Cooks can even play with the flavors of taro by adding coconut milk to one batch of tea and almond milk to the next. Coffee-flavored pastries offer a wide range of flavors for cooks to mix and match.
Tapioca pearls may or may not be used, depending on the cook’s preference. Their omission turns taro tea into a beverage rather than a snack, significantly reducing calories. If the pearls are to be used, however, they should be carefully boiled and cooled according to package directions before being added to the tea. The serving cup should then be filled only half full of tea, leaving plenty of room for the pearls.
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