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The Asian Parent

On the night of April 21, hundreds of bubble tea lovers queued outside the many popular outlets for their last drink before Singapore’s strict circuit breaker measures forced all non-essentials to stop services for at least two weeks.
If you love this refreshing drink, now is a good time to learn how to make it at home.
Originating in Taiwan, this sweet drink goes by many names, including “pearl milk tea” and “boba tea”.
Created by accident in the 1980s, it reached American soil in the ’90s and has been gaining popularity since.

A combination of tea, milk and tapioca pearls, at its most basic form, there are multiple variations of this sweet drink.
Bubble tea has stayed popular by adapting to changing interests and aesthetics, with varieties very different from the original creators, Liu Han-chieh and Lin Hsiu-hui.
 
 
Bubble tea madness everywhere now#Singapore #ExtendedCircuitBreaker #CB #DunBeCB #Boba #BubbleTea pic.twitter.com/kRlD7Opq9p
 — All Singapore Stuff (@allsgstuff) April 21, 2020

Deconstructing bubble tea
We know bubble tea is a drink with tea and bubble beads – any basic bubble tea will have these fundamental ingredients with variations on offer. The standard bubble tea has:
Tea: this is the main and the healthiest ingredient. Any robust tea such as black, green or Oolong, according to your preference is fine. The longer you steep it, the better.
Bubbles or pearls: traditionally, you make pearls with tapioca flour. Ready-made pearls are available in select grocery stores or can be ordered online. Variations include fruit jellies, egg pudding, tapioca noodles, taro balls, basil seeds, sago pearls and lychees. A synthetically made popping boba is also popular. These are roe-like squishy spheres prepared using fruit juice with other ingredients through the method of “spherification”.
Milk: whole milk, half-and-half, almond, soy and walnut are all good options based on your preference. Low-fat milk does not contribute to the creaminess of the drink and double cream makes bubble tea too thick.
Sweetener: the original, and also the easiest, choice is sugar. At home, you can decide the quantity to suit your taste. Granulated or brown sugar taste the best. Feel free to try alternatives such as honey, stevia, agave.
Ice: the amount of ice depends on how cold you want it. If you prefer to have your bubble tea hot, you may do that too.

How to make bubble tea at home
Now that you have the ingredients, let’s make bubble tea at home from scratch.
The pearls: if you have pre-packaged pearls, wait till your tea is ready to prepare the pearls. If you make them ahead, they may dry out and stiffen. Boil the water 15 minutes before you want to serve the tea, put in the pearls and boil for five to seven minutes. Cool and keep ii cold water to prevent the pearls from clumping.
If you plan to make your own pearls, mix tapioca flour with hot water and food colour and knead into a smooth dough. Roll into small balls and cook them in boiling water for 15 minutes or more. Cool in sugar syrup or water, according to preference.
Your tea: prepare tea by steeping tea bags or leaves until the tea cools down. For bubble tea, don’t worry about over steeping. This should take between 15 to 25 minutes. If you are using sugar, add it during the steeping process. If you want to speed up the cooling, steep in the refrigerator.
The milk: you may add the milk in your glass or prepare a milk tea to pour on your ice.
Assembly of bubble tea: drop the pearls into an ice-filled glass. Pour in your milk and tea, or milky tea. Stir and check sweetness. Adjust, if you want. Serve with long spoons and bubble tea straws. Alternatively, put ice, tea, milk and sweetener in a shaker, shake well and pour over the pearls in your glass.
Other options
Fruit teas are equally refreshing and popular. They are easier to make, too.
1. Brew and steep green tea for more than 10 minutes.
2. Chill in the refrigerator. Add fruit syrup of choice and mix.
3. Serve over pearls and ice.
Popping pearls are more in demand in fruit bubble teas.
Ditch the sugar for healthier, natural options. Try fruit balls with fruit juices to increase the nutrition quotient.



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Pearls of wisdom: how to make bubble tea at home during the coronavirus lockdown

Now you can make your own bubble tea at home. Photo: Shutterstock

epa08347675 A cashier, wearing a face mask, assists a customer at a bubble tea store in Singapore, 07 April 2020. The Singapore government has imposed a series of 'Circuit Breaker' measures to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic requiring all non-essential businesses to close and restricting public gatherings, as well as starting home-based learning for all schools and educational institutions. EPA-EFE/WALLACE WOON

***ONE TIME USE ONLY, PLEASE CLEAR THE COPYRIGHTS BEFORE RE-USE - OTUO*** Founder Liu Han-chieh making tea. Photo: HANDOUT [FEATURES 2019]

Now you can make your own bubble tea at home. Photo: Nora Tam

Coronavirus: Singaporeans share ways to stay fed, do good and complete schoolwork amid partial lockdown

People walk by with their bicycles as Marina Bay Sands lights up with a message of hope on April 10, 2020. Photo: AFP

epa08361531 A man wearing a surgical mask pushes goods on a trolley through the Kampong Glam district in Singapore, 14 April 2020. The Singapore government will be tightening its so-called 'circuit breaker' measures, issuing fines and implementing a compulsory mask-wearing policy for visitors to supermarkets and banks, as well as for public transport. The country's Ministry of Health reported a spike of infections on 13 April, mostly from foreign worker dormitories. EPA-EFE/WALLACE WOON

An ambulance carrying staff in protective clothing leaves the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, where patients suffering from the COVID-19 novel coronavirus are being cared for, in Singapore on April 3, 2020. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP)

epa08350222 A handout photo made available by the Ministry of Manpower shows workers in their dormitory room at the WestLite Toh Guan foreign worker dormitory in Singapore, 07 April 2020 (issued 08 April 2020). At least 20,000 foreign workers in three foreign worker dormitories have been put under quarantine after clusters of Covid-19 cases were discovered. EPA-EFE/MINISTRY OF MANPOWER / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Sugar overload or social media star: is Taiwanese bubble tea good or evil?

With eight to 18 spoonfuls of sugar in each cup, Taiwanese bubble tea is not the healthiest drink. Photo: Alamy

PT63HH St. Saint Petersburg Florida Central Avenue neon sign restaurant boba bubble tea

J0C3W2 A series of twelve close up macro photos detailing making Bubble Tea or Boba Tea. Taiwan is the birthplace of the phenomenon that is Bubble Tea.

R6Y139 Asian American teens enjoying this Taiwan invented sweet tea based tapioca filled bubble tea or Boba.

Bubble tea has taken the world by storm, but how good for you is the tapioca tea? Photo: Alamy

All the bubble tea recipes in China turn up online, but will brands bite back?

Online sellers in China claim to be offering genuine recipes from some of the country’s most popular bubble tea chains. Photo: Shutterstock

Recipes from the country’s hottest bubble tea chains, including Heytea, Coco and Alittle can be found on sale from the Alibaba-owned online shopping site Taobao. Photo: Taobao website

Lifestyle

Food & Drink


Learn about steeping the tea, choosing the best milk and even making your own tapioca pearls
You can experiment with the ingredients and choose whether to have your tea hot or cold



Bubble tea is a global trend, and many in coronavirus lockdown are missing their favourite drink. Fear not, this guide will soon have you brewing up your own delicious bubble tea at home.


Singapore

Food and Drinks

Taiwan

Pearls of wisdom: how to make bubble tea at home during the coronavirus lockdown

Learn about steeping the tea, choosing the best milk and even making your own tapioca pearls You can experiment with the ingredients and choose whether to have your tea hot or cold

Learn about steeping the tea, choosing the best milk and even making your own tapioca pearls

You can experiment with the ingredients and choose whether to have your tea hot or cold