Matcha Tapioca Pearls (Boba) From Scratch

Boba has become a staple dessert and drink all-in-one here in the bay and all over the world. But at $4+ a pop, it can quickly become a very expensive and unhealthy habit. Making boba drinks at home is not only a money saver, but it also allows you to control your sugar levels too.

Matcha brings a grassy yet bittersweet taste as well as a brilliant deep green color to the usual black and brown pearls. Adding matcha to chewy tapioca pearls packs a punch of flavor in a food that is usually just sugary balls of flour.

There are many grades and types of matcha powder available at drastically different prices, and it may be difficult to choose the right one. While higher ceremonial grade matcha powder has a more complex taste and bright green color, lower grades are more grassy and bitter with a duller shade of green.

This recipe, along with any other recipe in which the matcha is mixed with other ingredients, does not require extremely expensive high-grade matcha powder. Culinary grade matcha is good enough because the other ingredients will mask the taste a bit. I use an organic matcha powder made in Japan with no additional additives.

I like to add matcha boba to strawberry milk for an extra pop of color. The smooth tea flavor of the boba perfectly complements the sweet and tangy strawberry. Other non-caffeinated milk drinks can also work well with matcha boba. I would not recommend adding this boba to teas or coffees because that would be quite redundant! You can also use it as a topping for ice cream and shaved ice.

Matcha Tapioca Pearls Recipe

Makes 4 servings
Takes 1 hour

Ingredients

40 g white sugar

65 ml water + more for boiling

90 g tapioca flour + more for kneading

5 g culinary grade matcha powder

Method

1. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until slightly bubbling, then remove from heat.
2. Slowly add the tapioca flour and matcha powder until combined. Return to low heat and stir until a slightly crumbly dough-like consistency is reached. Cover the pan with a wet paper towel or cheesecloth until the dough is cool enough to handle.
3. Pour the dough on to a floured surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth.
4. Flatten the dough and cut into 1/2 cm cubes. Roll each cube into spheres and cover with flour to prevent sticking. Once complete, uncooked tapioca can keep in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for much longer.
5. When ready to eat, heat enough water to cover the pot with a 2-3 cm depth until boiling. add in the pearls and stir to prevent sticking until all pearls are floating. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. Wait 5 minutes, then drain the pearls and serve in a drink or dessert of choice.