Bubble (Boba) Milk Tea

I love bubble tea.  I remember having my first bubble tea when I was around 10 years old.  I loved the sugary and fun drink.  I was a bit disappointed when I tried to share the drink with an American friend of mine and she wrinkled her nose up at it and said it tasted like "boogers".  Luckily, milk tea is pretty mainstream now and most major cities have at least a few tea shops.  One summer, my sister, her boyfriend, and I spent nearly every day buying bubble milk tea.  It was our summertime treat.  But it was an expensive habit for a high schooler, with each serving costing around $3 each.  So we tried making it at home.

It was a disaster.  We boiled the tapioca pearls for what seemed like an eternity but they never seemed to get soft.  So we went back to purchasing the drinks.  And working summer jobs to pay off our habit.

So after that one at-home disaster, I was put-off making it at home.  Until I came across...QUICK-COOKING TAPIOCA PEARLS!!!!! They were at my Asian grocery store and I tried them out.  It worked.  Now I make it too often at home...

Chai Milk Bubble Tea

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 c. quick-cooking black tapioca pearl, such as Wufuyuan Tapioca Pearl
• 10 c. water
• 2 tbs. honey
• 4 packets or comperable Masala Chai Tea
• 2 tbs. condensed milk
• 1 c. whole milk
• ice
• Bubble Tea straws, such as Bubble Tea Straws

Directions:

1. Prepare chai tea and refrigerate or chill over ice.
2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil.  Follow package directions to cook tapioca pearls.
3. Drain tapioca pearls and place in a small glass bowl.  Stir in honey to coat
4. In large glasses, layer tapioca pearls, crushed ice, chai tea, condensed milk, and whole milk.  Stir well and serve with bubble tea straws.