# Fish Eyes and Glue



## ceyman (Nov 19, 2004)

A long time ago when I was in Boy Scout summer camp we used to be served tapioca for desert. It was good, and because the camp was very unposh, must have been cheap. Now the only tapioca I can find recipes for is jazzed up in some way - fruit or whatever. The other day I found some pearl tapioca in the store but the recipe on the box was for some "creamy" version. Anybody know how to prepare it in an unadorned way?


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## nicholas (Jul 22, 2004)

I think I may have what you're looking for. 
I'll have to get the recipe from my mom though, I'll get right back to you as soon as I get it.


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## keeperofthegood (Oct 5, 2001)

Hey oh

Ahhhh, the fruit that saved the great General. Tapioca is in fact yucca or cassava root flour formed into balls. These are done in a range of sizes from small grains to nearly a centimetre in diameter. These are also done in two versions, the standard cook-forever, and the modern quick-cook.

For the type pudding that you are probably thinking of it would have been the quick-cook, 1 or 2 millimetre size pellets. Simply covered by a knuckles better worth of water and set to a med warm part of the fire to bake over the course of half to an hour. This does need to be stirred, as burning can occur. It is one of those dishes that can be made on the coals after the main course was finished cooking, and would be ready by the time everyone was done eating.

This type of cooked tapioca is usually served with any one of or combination of: raisins, milk, sugar, brown sugar, heavy cream, fast whisked in egg yolk, and a dash of salt.

The long-cook types, well, I've seen cook times in the multiple of hours, and is probably best done at the same time as baked beans as the cook style and times are about the same. The long-cook is also much more pudding-like.

In the summer, if you make up some of the fine tapioca, try portioning it off into three or four batches, add to each a different table spoon or three of your favourite jams, set them into popsicle trays and freeze them up. I prefer frozen tapioca over frozen yougurt.

And one final note, I use tapioca starch instead of corn starch. It handles cooking better, doesn't leave a white film, and also doesn't change the colour of the dish.


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## nicholas (Jul 22, 2004)

Hey, sorry to keep you waiting, I finally got it from my mom, and tried it.
Keeper of the good explains it very well, but here's a rundown of what I did.

Oh, and there's no fixed recipe, as my mom is Thai, and its typical of them to not follow a recipe. Everything is by taste.

Anyway, 
1. Remove outer skin of tapioca, chop it into large chunks and put in a pot submerged with water.
Put in 3 leaves of bunched pandan leaves.
Be sure to wash it till it's free of dirt/sand. Tie it with something, or , hold the 3 leaves in your right hand, stems facing right, and wrap the leaves about itself tightly. Push the tip through the loop which will appear on the left side of the leave. Push up the top to form a "match stick head"

Simmer it until it begins to softern, approx. 15 mins. If there are bits sticking above the surface, you might have to rotate them about so there is even cooking.

2. when it begins to soften, add sugar. Add according to your taste.

3. From here on out, it will take a little longer, as you want to boil the added sugar to a almost syrupy consistency. Thinner, if you want. By this time, the tapioca will be more soft, which I personally think will make it nicer to eat.
As keeper of the good said, always stir it occasionally, to prevent burning. If it burns, the pot will be contaiminated by the burnt taste.

4. Remove cooked tapioca carefully, as it's very soft.

5.A few variations from this point.

-- In another sauce pan, add coconut milk, a dash of salt, bring to a boil, and serve.

--In another sauce pan, add coconut milk, a dash of salt, and some of the syrup from the pot. Bring to a boil and serve.

The second method will yield a sweeter "sauce". 
To thicken the sauce if you want to, add starch diluted in some water. To PVA glue consistency, add more.  


* For a Phillipine variation, my domestic helper cooks the tapioca in coconut milk instead of water. Follow the recipe. And the sauce will be what's left in the pot when you remove the tapioca.

Hope this was what you were looking for. 
Even if it's not, its delicious anway!


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## keeperofthegood (Oct 5, 2001)

Hey oh

Nicholas, that sounded yummy. Ahhhh, I don't have and can't get the pandan though. There are a few Thai shops in town, but..... Maybe next payday I will make the trip and also get some ***** lime leaves and some curry leaves and some chicken thighs and ooooooooo......









So, I am trying is sans-pandan. In water, with about three tablespoons coconut powder. Lonkger shelf life, and I can control the taste better. A few cooks I know looked sticken when I said I use it hehehehe









I will also be trying to sweeten it with splenda. I may add a little honey as well, we'll see. My son lives sugar free, and as a result, most foods 'for the family' don't use sugars except honey or maple syrup (the real stuff).

Oh, and in terms of variation on a theme, I found this on google right off the top. Amazing how google changes over time. Several years ago, tapioca was a hard item to search!

http://www.freerecipe.org/Dessert/Pu...pioca_Pudding/

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_hey oh

Rather than re-post I am adding this as an update.

I did ^^^^ for lunch today. It was for my 3 and 6 year olds. I used the honey. It was very nice. I will do it again, and I will look for the pandan leaves. There is a strong Asian comunity in town so I think I should be OK there.

I must say that I was suprised at how much this tasted like Plantain!! I think that I could do both together in the same dish. I think that I will try so soon.

It is not the 'fish eyes and glue' type puddings that we North Americans will think of when we say tapioca. But it is, of its own, a fabulous dish.

Thank you Nicholas
_


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## nicholas (Jul 22, 2004)

Hey hey keeper,
whoops, I just realised what a pearl tapioca is... it's those "fish eyes" and I've had them in what we call "bubble teas" here.
Anyhow, I suppose using tapioca or pearl tapiocas will work either way.

Hmm, you can try asian grocers in general for pandan leaves, but you'd know better where to source them out.
Ahh... ****** lime leaves...my mum just used them the other day, for some green curry. :lips: 

mmmm, honey, that sounds like a neat alternative...anyhow, I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!


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## jscibelli (Jan 22, 2005)

I know I'm very late for this reply but I have a chef-friend in NYC that uses tapioca on most of his tasting menus for the crudo-raw fish part. If you are interested in this let me know--


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## keeperofthegood (Oct 5, 2001)

Hey oh

Hmm, that sounds interesting. Yes, post the full story of and resipe for this use of Tapioca.


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