Jamaican Tapioca Pudding Recipes

CLASSIC TAPIOCA PUDDING

Steps:

• Stir together the milk, tapioca, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 5 minutes longer.
• Whisk 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the beaten eggs, 2 tablespoons at a time until incorporated. Stir the egg mixture back into the tapioca until well mixed. Bring the pudding to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer until the pudding becomes thick enough to evenly coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. The pudding may be served hot or poured into serving dishes and refrigerated several hours until cold.

TAPIOCA PUDDING

Steps:

• Add milk, cream, sugar and salt to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then stir in tapioca and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring often, until mixture has slightly thickened, and the tapioca pearls have plumped and softened, about 45 minutes.
• Add the eggs to a bowl and whisk to combine.
• Add a spoonful of hot tapioca mixture to the beaten eggs, stirring well as you pour it in. Repeat with another few spoonfuls of hot tapioca, stirring after each. (This helps temper the eggs and bring them to a warm temperature without "scrambling" them.)
• Add tempered egg mixture to the saucepan with tapioca and stir well to combine. Cook for 2-5 more minutes, just until thickened (keep in mind it will continue to thicken as it cools). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding (to keep it from forming a rubbery skin on the surface). Allow it to cool before serving. Serve either warm or chilled.

CAMBODIAN TAPIOCA-BANANA PUDDING

Steps:

• Place 2 cups of water in a microwave-safe dish and heat until warm in the microwave, about 2 minutes. Add the tapioca and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain in a sieve. You'll have a mushy puddle of tapioca left over.
• Pour the remaining water into a saucepan and add the drained tapioca. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat until the tapioca begins to turn transparent. Stir frequently to avoid sticking.
• When the tapioca is transparent, stir in the bananas, sugar and salt. Simmer for 10 to 15 more minutes, stirring frequently. When the bananas are broken down fairly well, remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk until well blended. The tapioca pearls will become visible and the pudding will be the consistency of thick soup. Taste and adjust the sugar if desired.
• Cool to room temperature or slightly warmer. Stir again before serving.

THAI TAPIOCA PUDDING

Steps:

• Rinse tapioca in cool tap water. Drain.
• Place in saucepan with 6 cups water.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Drain and rinse.
• Combine coconut milk and 2 cups water in a clean saucepan.
• Add tapioca to milk mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
• Add sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Remove from heat.
• Taste and add more sugar or salt as needed.
• Let mixture sit in saucepan for 30 minutes.
• Pour into dessert glasses and serve warm. Serves 8.
• Variation: Serve chilled with 1/4 cup diced honeydew melon added to each serving.