balls

Tapioca balls are translucent spheres; a product of tapioca, a starch extracted from the cassava root. They originated as a cheaper alternative to pearl sago in Southeast Asian cuisine. They are also known as boba (a transliteration of the word "bubble"), or pearls when in bubble tea. Some boba are five-to-ten-millimeter starch balls, consisting of sweet potato powder, potato powder, or jelly. By adding different ingredients, like water, sugar, and seasoning, tapioca balls can be made to vary in color and in texture. Tapioca balls typically lack flavor and gel easily, and are therefore often used as a thickening agent in foods like pudding. For this reason, tapioca balls also complement sweet drinks such as milk tea and fruit smoothies.

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