De-Mystifying Bubble Tea

The tea beverage known as “bubble tea” has its roots in Taiwan. Who invented this variety of tea and when are still up for debate. But this beverage is said to have been invented by Mrs. Liu Han-Chieh of the Chun Shui Tang tea business in Taichung, Taiwan. 1 In any event, this beverage is becoming more and more well-liked all over the globe.

A foundation of tea is frequently used to make bubble tea. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea, commonly referred to as blue tea, are common types of tea. The beverages are then flavored with milk or fruit (i.e. mango, lychee, grapefruit, etc.). Then, for example, add-ins like pearls, aloe vera, chia seeds, or egg pudding are added. The beverage is also referred to as tapioca tea and pearl tea.

What Are the Bubbles?

Tapioca flour, water, and brown sugar are used to create the bubbles (starch). In contrast to wheat flour, tapioca is made entirely of starch. It is a refined starch produced from the starchy root of the cassava plant, much to malanga. It is challenging because of this. Large quantities of sticky glucose make up the starch particles (a kind of sugar). These particles will scatter and float when mixed with cold water.

The moment you add anything spicy, the true magic begins. The starch granules will expand and degrade in a warm atmosphere. A sticky, water-retentive material will result from smaller pieces. The term for this procedure is starch gelatinization (similar to the process of making gelatin).

Types of Bubble Tea

Although there are many different kinds of bubble teas, we decided to simplify things by breaking them down. The most traditional are listed below:

• Zhen zhunai cha, or milk bubble tea: This is a milk tea, sometimes referred to as “bubble tea” in the West. Originally, this sort of milk tea was distinguished from others by the size of the tapioca balls. The majority of bubble tea establishments utilize pearls, which are 1/4″ tapioca balls. 4 This bubble tea with milk uses black tea as its tea basis. If you’re wondering “Is bubble tea Halal or Haram?” you’ll find that this particular flavor, aka the original is definitely halal!
• Bubble Green Tea: This drink is similar to the one above but uses green tea as its foundation.
• Green or black tea prepared in a bubble: Tea makers will first produce the drinks without adding any sugar, but as they are making them, they will add syrup to sweeten the tea.

The Basic of Bubble Tea

Black, green, or oolong tea are the most common teas used to make bubble tea. Another favorite is green tea, especially jasmine green tea, which has a more energizing flowery flavor for the warmer months. Nowadays, matcha (powdered green tea) is frequently substituted for green tea.

Another well-liked beverage among those who enjoy bubble tea is oolong tea. Bubble tea has a strong flavor because this kind of tea has a deeper, more bitter flavor.

Other varieties of bubble tea have been produced as its popularity has increased. Some locations exclude tea and instead opt to make the beverage into a juice. Even slushies are made in bubble tea businesses with the recognisable bubbles added.

High Sugar Content

Despite the fact that many of us adore bubble tea, it is quite sugary. According to several studies, the high sugar content of bubble milk tea is to blame for Asians’ high rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes. 5 Frequently, tapioca pearls are merely starch that has been dusted with sugar. High fructose corn syrup and other sweet fruit concentrates are present in the beverage itself. 6 A 473 ml cup of milk-and-bubble-tea can contain up to 38 g of total sugar and 263 kcal of calories. 7 The amount of sugar is equivalent to that in a can of soda.

However, you can always reduce the sugar content of the drinks (I typically request half a sugar cube) and limit your intake of pearls. Aloe vera and grass jelly are two alternatives with less sugar. Simply altering one’s purchasing habits, such as selecting products with less sugar or avoiding foods with the highest sugar content, can have a significant impact.

Make Your Own Bubble Tea

Ingredients (serves 4) –

1. Black tea
2. Milk (any kind)
   For the tapioca pearls:
3. 140g tapioca flour or starch
4. 1 tbsp of defatted cocoa
5. 60g brown sugar
6. 80g water
   Sweet sauce:
7. 1/4 glass of water
8. 80g brown sugar
   Method –
9. Combine 140g of tapioca flour and 1 tablespoon of chocolate in a bowl (for darker color). Put this dish aside.
10. Next, add 1/2 cup of the flour and cocoa mixture that we just created to a saucepan along with 60g of brown sugar, roughly 80mL of water, and 1/2 cup. Stir well, heat the saucepan over medium heat, and wait for the mixture to thicken while continuously stirring.
11. Add the remaining flour and cocoa mixture that you had set aside once it has somewhat thickened. Once a fairly dense mass has formed in the pot and can no longer be mixed much further, stir it well.
12. At this point, roll out the dough as though you were making bread or pizza dough by placing it on the counter or a small table.
13. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces once it has been well compressed, and use each piece to form a long churro with a diameter of about 1 cm. Cut each churro you have into pieces that are approximately half a centimeter long.
14. Giving each of these tiny pieces a round shape is one of the most tedious (or relaxing, depending on how you look at it) steps of this recipe.
15. If you’ve chosen to make balls, add a little more tapioca flour on top once you’ve finished making them so the tapioca pearls are more viscous and absorb more sauce.
16. Cook the tapioca balls in a large amount of boiling water for 20 minutes.
17. After 20 minutes, remove the pot from the heat, cover it with a lid, and allow the pearls to cool for about 30 minutes. After that, run cold water over the pearls to halt the frying.
18. 80g of brown sugar and 1/4 glass of water should be added to a saucepan. As you can see, whisk this constantly over medium-high heat until it somewhat thickens.
19. The tapioca pearls should be added to the sauce once it has thickened and should be thoroughly mixed in.
20. Simply prepare some tea now by following the directions for the type of tea you want to use (I used English tea bags because I like the taste of it). You can taste-test adding sugar to the tea if you like sweeter beverages.
21. To build the bubble tea, layer the tapioca pearls, ice, milk (cow or vegetable), and tea in a glass from bottom to top. This will make the bubble tea seem much more aesthetically pleasing when served.