Coconut tapioca pudding with raspberries

I must admit that when I first spotted tapioca in a local farm shop, I had very little idea what it was or how it was used. Of course, as I often browse Polish food blogs, I had come across it before, but I had never paid much attention until I saw those delightful little pearls for myself. Tapioca is a type of starch extracted from cassava and is naturally gluten-free. The pearls look a little like tiny polystyrene beads, but once cooked they become translucent, jelly-like spheres that provide a wonderfully unique texture. They have very little flavour of their own and reminded me slightly of rice. Tapioca can be used to make puddings, dessert creams and sauces. Cooking it in coconut milk and serving it with raspberry sauce turned out to be one of the best ideas!

Serves 4.

Ingredients for coconut tapioca pudding with raspberries:

• 1 tin (400 ml) coconut milk
• 400 ml milk
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) small tapioca pearls
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or the seeds from 1 vanilla pod
• 1 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste
• raspberry preserve or raspberry sauce, to serve

Place the tapioca pearls into a saucepan and pour over the coconut milk and milk. Leave to soak for 1 hour. After this time, stir the mixture and bring it to the boil. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the pudding from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the tapioca pearls have softened and become translucent, and the pudding has reached your preferred consistency, about 10 minutes. Keep in mind that it will continue to thicken as it cools. Add the sugar and vanilla, then stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Pour the pudding into serving glasses or dessert bowls and leave to set.

Serve with raspberry preserve or raspberry sauce. Store the coconut tapioca pudding with raspberries in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!