Taro boba or taro bubble milk tea is a popular Asian drink like papaya milk, lychee slush, red bean ice drink and grass jelly drink. This taro boba drink recipe is sweet, flavorful with soft and chewy boba pearls. Let's learn how to make taro boba at home with step by step photos and a video for your dessert, treat or gathering!
Love Asian sweet stuff? Check out these taro ice cream, red bean sticky rice cake, taro sago, tang yuan, ginger milk curd, Hawaiian shave ice, Asian shaved ice and tofu pudding recipes.
What is taro boba?
Taro boba is a popular Asian beverage. It originated from Taiwan. Also, it is known as taro bubble tea or taro milk tea. It is widespread and has become a popular Asian drink among US Asian restaurants. There are so many different flavored boba drinks such as taro, mango, coconut, melon, strawberry, etc.
Taro boba is a type of bubble milk tea that features a distinct flavor and texture. People love taro boba because of its unique taste, vibrant purple color and the combination of creamy taro flavor with the chewy tapioca pearls. You can adjust the sweetness level and the amount of ice. Besides, it is often served with a wide straw, so you can drink and suck the tapioca pearls.
What is boba?
The "bubbles" or "boba" in bubble milk tea refer to the chewy black tapioca pearls. These pearls are made from tapioca starch. When they are cooked, they become soft and chewy. It adds an interesting texture to the drink which defines the characteristics of bubble tea.
What is taro root?
Taro is a starchy tropical root plant. It has a unique appearance with a rough, brown outer skin and a white, pale purple or lavender-colored flesh on the inside. Also, taro belongs to the Araceae family. The scientific name is Colocasia esculenta.
The flavor of taro is mildly sweet and nutty. The texture can be smooth to slightly fibrous when cooked. It is a versatile ingredient because it can be prepared in a variety of ways: boiling, steaming, frying or baking. Taro can be both savory and sweet dishes such as taro ice cream, taro buns, taro paste, taro sago and this taro boba drink.
What does taro boba taste like?
Taro bubble milk tea has a distinctive and somewhat complex flavor. It combines the nutty, sweet, creamy and chewy texture from the boba pearls. The vibrant purple color adds to the visual experience of enjoying this popular beverage.
Does taro bubble milk tea contain tea?
In general, this taro bubble milk tea or taro boba recipe doesn’t contain tea even though it is called bubble milk tea. However, you can add tea if you like. Bubble milk tea is a general name for boba drinks. Some have tea and some don’t have tea. You can request or customize it at boba stores. Or, you can ask if you are not sure it contains tea or not.
What are the ingredients in taro milk tea recipe?
Taro bubble milk tea is one of the popular flavors of boba drinks. In this taro boba recipe, the ingredients are taro flavor boba powder, milk, ice, sugar and boba pearls.
Fresh taro root Vs taro powder:
Restaurants or commercial boba drinks only use taro powder for taro boba. They don’t use fresh taro roots to make the drink. It is because they need to cook, mash and then mix with milk, sugar and sometimes other flavorings to create a creamy base. It is quite a process and not many stores and restaurants will do this way.
However, some people like to make it out of fresh taro roots at home. Personally, I still prefer the taro boba powder because of the aroma, flavor and coloring which makes taro boba drink special and tasty! If you like to use fresh taro root, I recommend trying out this taro sago recipe.
Cooking tips for taro boba tea:
- Use an instant pot pressure cooker to cook boba pearl because it is faster and easier. But, remember not every brand can use instant pot to cook the boba pearls. E-Fa brand boba is the one I have tried and works using instant pot. You can check out this: how to cook boba pearls.
- Choose a good taro boba powder. Different brands the taste may be slightly different.
- You can add more ice and less milk if you want a slushy texture.
- If you want more drinks, double or triple the recipe.
FAQs:
Taro is a root plant and actually not very purple. Often, you see taro drinks or dessert in purple because of food coloring.
Yes, it is because boba pearls are made from tapioca starch, water and sugar.
It is best to consume it the same day. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them. I recommend not to put the cooked boba with the drink and store them separately in the refrigerator.
Do I need a special straw for the drink?
Yes, for bubble milk tea, we usually need a wide straw, so you can suck the boba pearls when drinking the liquid.
Instructions for how to make taro boba:
Putting ingredients:
1.Put one cup of ice (5.5 fl oz) into the blender.
2. Then, pour one cup of milk into the blender.
3. After that, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of taro boba powder into the blender.
Blending:
4. Cover the lid and blend until it smoothes.
Combining the drink:
5. Next, put 2 tablespoons of cooked boba pearls into a jar and pour the mixture into the jar. (See detail on how to cook boba pearls )
Enjoy this simple and tasty taro milk boba tea recipe! Also, check out these strawberry banana smoothie, sweet mung bean soup, mango pomelo sago, black sesame soup, honeydew popsicle and red bean mochi recipes.
More Dessert Recipes You May Also Like:
- HOW TO COOK BOBA PEARLS
- THAI STYLE MANGO STICKY RICE
- WHITE RABBIT CANDY ICE CREAM
- SWEET RED BEAN SOUP
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Taro Boba Drink
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup Ice (5.5 fl oz)
- 1 cup Milk
- 2 tablespoons Taro boba powder
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 4 tablespoons Cooked boba pearls
Instructions
- Put one cup of ice into the blender.
- Then, pour one cup of milk (5.5 fl oz) into the blender.
- After that, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of taro boba powder into the blender.
- Cover the lid and blend until it smoothes.
- Next, put 2 tablespoons of cooked boba pearls into a jar and pour the mixture into the jar. (See detail on how to cook boba pearls )
Notes
Cooking tips for taro bubble tea:
- Use instant pot pressure cooker to cook boba pearl
- Add more ice and less milk if you want like slushy
- If you want more drinks, double the recipe.
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