Happy moment (ft. matcha boba tea)

I decided to make home-made boba tea. It is more labor-some than getting a boba tea take out. But what prompt me to take on this adventure was a happy moment that happened not too long ago. To preface, I thrive on encouragement. I value it more than money. Within the Chinese culture though, direct verbal compliment is not very common. But when it happens, it means absolute serious business. My husband, out of the blue, decided to compliment my cooking in front of his mom and myself. Whatever happened next, I don’t quite remember because, you know, I was on cloud 9.  For weeks, I thought about how I can make that moment into an official award and frame it.

Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

Brown Sugar Boba Pearls:

• 1 cup (120g) tapioca starch
• 1/3 cup (78ml) water
• 1/3 cup packed (65g) brown sugar

Brown Sugar Syrup:

• 150g brown sugar
• 6 and 1/2 Tbsp or 100ml water

Matcha:

• 2 tsp matcha
• 4 Tbsp (30ml) hot water
• 1 cup milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

Brown Sugar Boba Pearls Method:

1. In a small pan, add in water and brown sugar and heat until boiling.
2. Reduce heat to low and add in half the tapioca starch, quickly mixing in for 8 seconds, turn off the heat, and mix in the rest of the tapioca starch mixing until it forms a dough.
3. Dump the dough out, and knead until a smooth dough forms.
4. Divide the dough into three equal pieces, and roll each piece into a long rod (½-inch thick) then cut into small cubes.
5. Roll the small cubes into balls and toss them into a bowl with tapioca starch to coat.
6. Strain the brown sugar boba pearls.
7. To cook, heat a pot of water over medium-high heat until boiling then add the pearls to the water. Boil for 30 minutes.
8. turn off the stove and let the pearls rest in the water for 25 minutes.
9. For the syrup, add water and brown sugar to a pot, swirl to combine, and heat over medium heat until it dissolves and starts to bubble.
10. Once syrupy, turn off the heat.
11. Drain boba pearls through a strainer. Stir into the syrup mixture.

Matcha Boba Tea Method:

1. In a small bowl, add and mix in matcha powder with hot water until combined.
2. Add pearls to a glass along with the syrup, an ice cube, pour in milk and add matcha.
3. Mix to combine and serve.