What is Boba Tea? A Guide to Bubble Tea and Tapioca Pearls

Have you ever wondered why Boba tea is loved worldwide? Many people are initially amazed when they hear about Boba. They might think it’s just a boba drink with bubbles or something else entirely. Actually, Boba tea is a mix of tea, milk, and sweet, chewy bubbles (boba or tapioca pearls), depending on your choice of flavor and taste. This drink has several names like bubble tea, pearl tea, bubble milk tea, boba, boba fruit tea or tapioca tea but all refer to the same drink. I personally enjoy this delicious boba drink due to its availability in various flavors based on our own preferences.

Here we are going to tell you about this. Bubble tea is a beverage from Taiwan since 1880 that got a cult following in the 2000s. It is a tea-based drink combination of tea, milk, mocha, matcha, raspberry, honeydew, fruit, and juice with the addition of a signature “bubble,” served with tapioca pearls (also called “boba” and “balls”) at the bottom. For enjoyment, you drink it cold or piping hot. The combination of tea-based and yummy pearl drinks becomes a quirky drink and snack. It is also called boba tea or milk tea and QQ (a Taiwanese word for chew-chew), boba pearl milk tea, boba, and bubble milk tea. This tea gained familiarity from all over the world. It is not a new brand but gained traffic from TikTok, social media, and YouTube. 

What is bubble tea?

Bubble tea is well-known as boba tea. This bubble recipe is loved all over the world because of its fun and taste. Several years ago, it was started in Taiwan. Today, it is popular across Europe, Africa, and Asian countries. Its key ingredients are tea, milk, or fruits with sweet tiny balls called tapioca pearls or boba.

What are “Bubbles” in bubble tea?

One of the most frequently asked questions about bubble tea is, What are the bubbles in bubble tea?. The simple answer is that the bubbles are tapioca pearls. These are small, chewy, and spherical balls. They are actually extracted from the root of the cassava. It is the most common topping used in bubble tea. It gives the tea a unique texture and gives it a smoothness. It is the most familiar topping because it is the most common topping, and the most commonly used are popping bubbles and jelly cubes.

What is in a bubble tea?

It can be black, green or Oolong tea. Fruit juices or milk can also be used as a tea base.

As you know, Bubble tea is sweet. I use sugar or flavoured syrups, like strawberry, mango,  and chocolate, for their sweetness. If you would like to make it with milk instead of fruit juices, then almond milk or coconut milk is a better choice.

You can use tapioca pearls, fruit jelly, or popping.  You can use any one of these, but I prefer tapioca pearls because they are classic and pair well with almost all flavours.   

A Short History of boba tea

History according to the BBC

According to BBC News, bubble tea is a famous tea in Taiwan from the 1980s. Bubble tea is in demand in China and the UK. There was a Chun Shui Tang, a tea house in Taiwan, in Taichung. Its founder, Liu Han-chieh, started serving cold tea in China after seeing people using cold tea in Japan. In 1988 his manager, Lin Hsui Hui, added tapioca pearls to bubble tea.

History according to vickypedia

According to Vickypedia, Chun Shui Tang was a teahouse in Taiwan. Liu Han-chieh was its owner. The credit for bubble tea goes to him. He gives cold tea in Taiwan. His manager, Lin Hesiu Hui, is also involved in it. Lin Hesiu Hui suggests adding tapioca pearls to tea. It was mentioned in the 17th century, but it became familiar in 1980.

Spread in taiwan

After Chen Shui Tang made tea in 1980, many teahouse owners, restaurant owners, and street shops started adding this tea to their menus. Different types of tea were made in this way, and different types of pearls, different sizes, flavors, and fruits were added to it, which made it a perfect type of tea.

Worldwide spreading

According to Vickypedia, in the 1990s bubble tea spread all over the world. This tea is also consumed in Asia, including Singapore, Japan, and the South.

Official emoji of bubble tea

According to emojipedia reports, bubble tea announced its emoji 13.0 in 2020. The Unicode Consortium announced 62 new emojis on 29 January 2020. Bubble tea was one of them.

Who invented Boba Tea?

Several years ago, I wondered: where is boba tea from? This curiosity led me to research its history, which is as fascinating as the drink itself. It is made with tea, milk, sugar, ice and boba pearls. These pearls, also called boba or bubbles, are small, edible balls made from tapioca starch.

The First Steps of Creation

I researched the history of this popular drink, and then I found two interesting stories about how boba tea came to be. It is said that bubble tea was found in the 1980s in Taichung, Taiwan. This drink came into existence when a female, Lin Hsi Hui, took the tapioca pearls from her Taiwanese dessert and added it to her iced tea. These days, her Boss recently started serving this iced-based drink after a Japanese visit, but they had not decided about this traditional recipe.

In a few days, this drink became more popular among other employees. When these co-workers noticed her unique addition of tapioca balls to the iced-based drink, it became more popular with other employees in a short interval of time. Han chieh decides to add Boba’s drink to his shop menu. Very soon, it becomes the most ordered drink in their shop. By the late 1990s, it also became popular in Japan. Japanese people liked this boba drink because of its sweet taste and the fun experience of drinking it with chewy boba pearls.

Why is bubble tea commercial?

The fact is that bubble tea is currently famous all over the world, and people all over the world use it with great pleasure, and it does not even satisfy their hearts.

Fortune Business platform has estimated how much it is used in the market, which is 2.17 billion dollars, which was in 2021, and if this method continues, it will expand a lot. So, what is the reason that this site is getting a lot of buzz? So nothing can be said about what factors are there due to which this beverage is becoming a very admired drink. The customer can customize it as he wishes, which is the reason why it has become very familar at the moment.

Ingredients of Bubble Tea

Bubble tea has a few ingredients that help to make a customized boba tea in your kitchen.

Now, we are going to discuss these ingredients

Tea Base

The most important thing to make bubble tea is what tea you use. You can choose the tea according to your taste. For example, you can use black tea, you can use green tea, or you can use joe or oolong tea. All of these are common choices.

Sugar/Sweetener

The second most vital ingredient to make the world’s most famous bubble tea is sugar. You can use as much or as little sugar as you want. You can also use sweetener in its place. If you want, you can use sugar syrup. It will make your tea taste amazing and sweet.

Milk

The third most important factor in bubble tea is milk. Many people use dairy milk and make their tea with it, but today, there are many people who cannot use milk, so it is very easy for those people to make their best tea by using elemental milk and soy milk instead of dairy milk in bubble tea.

Tapioca Pearls

Another essential ingredient of bubble tea is tapioca pearls, which is the ingredient that makes it famous all over the world. These are balls that you can get in large quantities or small quantities. Their size also varies. Many people use them as a substitute for large-sized tea balls, and many people use small-sized ones. These are today at the bottom of your glass, and you can also use them to eat. Today, this is the best tea in the world because it contains tapioca balls.

Other Toppings

There are many other ingredients that you can use to make bubble tea. Among these ingredients are fruit jelly, popping boba, fruits, aloe vera, red beans, and many others.

How many calories do we get in one cup of boba tea?

Bubble tea is usually made with milk, tapioca pearls, sugar, fruit, and many other ingredients. The number of calories in it depends on the ingredients you add. Thus, the calories in it will also change along with your factors. For example, if you add only milk and fruit to a bubble tea, you can get 300 to 500 calories per cup.

You can also read the full article on How many calories are in bubble tea. These calories change. If you add more milk or more sugar, the number of calories in it also increases slightly with these things. But generally, you can easily get 300 to 500 calories from it. If your cup is large, you can get up to 700 ml of calories in it.

Difference between Bubble tea and Boba tea

This excellent tea, which is drunk in different parts of the world, is drunk the most in New York, and the people there have different opinions about it. Some people call it bubble tea. and some people call it boba. Are bubble tea and boba tea the same, or is there any difference between them? The clear answer is bubble tea is boba tea, and both are the same.

It means that there are two names for the same thing. This tea is consumed in different countries of the world, like the USA, Asia, Japan, Egypt, and many other countries. So, the people of each country give it different names in their way, and in every place, this tea has a different name and a different flavor. People give it different names by adding different flavors to it.

Let us clearly tell you that bubble tea is actually boba. The word boba used in it is due to the addition of tapioca pearls. When it is consumed, it is called Boba Tea. People of all ages and backgrounds give it various familar titles and make it into a delicious and savory drink of their choice.

Pearl milk tea	Boba
Milk tea	Bubble tea
Pearl tea	Tapioca tea
Taro tea	Taro boba tea

When you find people talking about these drinks, remember that these are variations of bubble tea. People of New York and Boston like to drink this tea. They usually say

With time, people of different countries drink it and give it different names depending on their locations. So, it is clear that boba tea and bubble tea are the same. 

Technical aspects of Boba and Bubble tea

If you are technical and want to see the difference between boba and bubbly technically, then we will clarify this difference for you, too. For this, first of all, we will see what boba is and what boba is called. An example of this would be in the way that people say, “Do you love boba pearls, or what’s your boba texture like?”

How to drunk

You can make a traditional and straightforward bubble tea by mixing milk or any cream, syrup, or flavored dessert. It is considered the best and most familiar version of bubble tea, and you can add the parts of tapioca pearls to it. You can mix different things with flavors to make a good tea. From the beginning of this tea till today, people have been doing different kinds of experiments with it.

Some use fruit juice in it, and some use sweetened powder and make bubble tea according to their wishes. Many such flavors are admired, and you can add them to the menu with a guarantee. There are many flavors in it that you will like a lot, and you will go to any bubble tea again and again. The flavors that you will see the most are as follows.

Matcha latte	Green tea
Honeydew milk tea	Jasmine milk tea
Mango green milk tea	Black milk tea
Coffee milk tea	Honey milk tea

There are many versions of milk bubble tea, or boba tea, that you can enjoy in both cold and hot weather. These are things that are made into a beautiful dessert by mixing sweet, creamy pearls and flavors. Apart from this, there are different variations, like shaking black, green, and white tea. You can add any fresh fruit juice, syrup, tea, ice cubes, raspberries, etc., to it and make your beverage.

These refreshing drinks are actually tapioca treats that stay in their bottoms, but nata de coco jelly cubes, popping bubbles, juice, and pearls are all their admired choices.

How to Store Bubble Tea

Now, one of the most important questions that comes to mind is whether we can store bubble tea for a few days or a few weeks. Now, let’s talk about it. The first thing is that you should use the tea the same day you make it. This is the best way. If you want to drink fresh tea, you should use the tapioca pearl balls within an hour.

You should keep it in liquid form so that when you use it, you can boil it and use it easily. If you keep it in liquid form, it will remain fresh, bouncy, and sugary. But sometimes, if you have a lot of pearl balls, then if you want to store them in the refrigerator, it will be tough. It will be done easily in 20 to 30 seconds. You will not need to recook or reheat them.

Once they are soft, they can be used again in tea. But always keep in mind that their quality will not be the same as if you use freshly cooked pearl balls. You may use the syrup, cool them to room temperature, and then you can also store them in the refrigerator. For this, you will need an airtight jar. You can store them for two days, and the syrup can usually be stored for two days, or you can store it for two weeks.

Different teas with recipes

Classic Bubble Tea

Here, we are going to share how to make classic bubble tea. Keep the following steps in mind when making classic tea. It is also called black milk tea. Boba tea is a source of protein because we add milk, which is a huge source of protein. We add cream; it is also a source of protein.

Ingredients

• Two bags of black tea or 2 loose leaves of black.
• Hot water (450g).
• 150 g milk (you can use nondairy milk like almond milk).
• Sugar syrup (50 mg).
• Black tapioca pearls (120 g in cooked form).
• Wide straw for boba tea.

Method

Now, we will see how to make classic bubble tea. The steps are as follows.

• The first step is to boil the tea in hot water and leave it to cool. 
• If you are using tea bags, remove them before the next step. 
• Divide the tea into two glasses and add milk and sugar syrup to them. 
• Mix them gently.
• Add the pearls with a spoon into both the glasses and let it sit 
• For half an hour in each glass and add ice to it. 
• Put the straw inside your glass and enjoy.

Bubble tea recipes from all over the world

One thing to keep in mind is that the familiarity of bubble tea is due to its flavor, toppings, and combination. When you add tapioca pearls, coconut jelly, and popping boba to it, the best results are obtained. Nowadays, you will also find places where tea is not used at all, but instead, coffee and other beverages are used, which are used in different flavors. In Asia, pudding is also used as a topping. It is a thick, creamy dessert that is made with eggs, and custard is the principal balance, as it is.

Persian Rose Milk Tea

You can enjoy Middle Eastern flavor in rose milk tea. The fragrance of rose will make you happy and add an exotic touch to your tea. 

Persian Rose Milk Tea

• 2 black tea bags or black tea Assam leaves
• Hot water ( 450ml)
• 150 ml milk, soy milk, or almond milk
• Sugar syrup (150g)
• Rose water per serving: 1-2 drops
• Tapioca pearls in cooked shape, 120 g
• Ice
• Rose petals, cream, and silver pistachios.

Method:

• If you are using tea bags, then boil them in hot water and then remove their wrappers. Or if you are using regular tea, then boil it in water and let it cool. 
• Pour this boiled tea into glasses and divide it into two parts, and add milk, sugar syrup, and rose water as per your choice, and mix them gently.
• Add the tapioca pearls in them. 
• Add ice in it.
• Add cream, and add dried rose. 
• In this way, your tea is ready.

Japanese Matcha Bubble Tea recipe

Matcha bubble tea is a familiar Japanese tea. It is a famous tea, as it has healthy and earthy flavors. It is used in cakes, custard, and chocolate. You can get Japanese matcha tea in chilled latte form.

Ingredients

• Matcha Tea powder
• Milk 500 ml, or you can also use soy milk or almond milk.
• Double cream tubs
• Sugar syrup 2 tbs
• Black Tapioca pearls 120g in cooked form
• Ice

Method:

• Put the milk in a jug and add matcha powder. Mix it well and add cream.
• Add sugar syrup for taste.
• Put it into two glasses.
•  Now add tapioca pearls.
• Add a few ice cubes, and now your tea is ready to drink.

Brazilian Mojito bubble tea recipe

On the occasion of Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian bubble tea was a top trend. It was full of energy with zero alcohol. Mojitos are a classic Brazilian cocktail.

Ingredients

• Black tea in loose form (5 g), or you can use 2 tea bags
• Hot water 50 ml
• Lime juice 40 ml.
• Sugar syrup 40 ml.
• Cold water 200 ml.
• Fresh mint leaves: 15 g.
• Ice
• Lime slice (optional)

Method:

• You first have to put the tea in hot water. If you are using a piece, then remove the tea bags and shake it until it is lukewarm. 
• After that, when it cools down, put it in a jug and add various ingredients like lime juice, sugar syrup, and other things. 
• After that, add mint leaves to it and leave it for a minute or two. 
• Add this mixture to two glasses and keep it until it cools down. 
• If you cannot keep it until it cools down, then add cold water and the pearls also, garnish it well with ice cubes, and add the stitched line to it. Your best tea is ready.

Mexican Hibiscus Cooler Bubble Tea

Mexican Hibiscus cooler bubble tea is a great and refreshing tea for hot summer days. Chewy tapioca pearls will provide sweetness. You need this chewy and tasty tea.

Ingredients

• Hibiscus in dry flowers needs 10 g.
• Hot water: 250 ml.
• Lemon Juice 2 tbs.
• Sugar syrup 2 tabs
• Cold water 400 ml.
• Tapioca pearls in cooked form, 120 g
• Ice

Method:

• To make this tea, first of all, you should steep hibiscus flowers in hot water and keep it until it cools down. 
• When it cools down, add pink hibiscus inside it and put it in a jug. Then add juice, sugar syrup, lemon juice, and other things to it. 
• Then add cold water to it and mix it well. 
• Then add all this in two glasses and add pearls of your choice to them. 
• Finally, add ice cubes and garnish well. Your delicious tea is ready.

Indian saffron Milk Tea recipe

Do you know Kesar milk tea is a traditional Indian tea? It is also called saffron tea.It has medicinal properties. Try our bubble tea version as an alternative and get excited about the flavors of tea, cream, and pearls.

Ingredients

• Loose black tea: 2 g or 2 tea bags.
• Hot water: 180 ml.
• Milk (Sweeten condensed): 70 ml.
• Milk (semi-skimmed): 300 ml.
• Saffron
• 2-3 green cardamom pods of ground seeds.
• Black tapioca pearls in cooked form, 120 g.

Method

• Steep the tea in hot water or put two tea bags in it and let it cool. 
•  Add milk; you can also add almond or soy milk.
• and ground cardamom to it.
• Heat it all on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the saffron and cardamom are absorbed, stirring it continuously. 
• Then, set it aside to cool. At this time, the color of your tea should be custard yellow. When the saffron milk has cooled, add the tea to it. Now place it in two glasses and add equal parts of Depo Plus to both glasses.
• Add iced cubes in summer and in winter, generally warm. Your tea is ready. 

How to make Fen yuan

Fen yuan is a type of food that means “tapioca pearls,” meaning it is a pudding with bubble tea. It is a type of tapioca pudding that is used in desserts and drinks. It is usually an ice dessert that originated in Taiwan and has tapioca flakes inside. It is a Chinese word. You can prepare your own custom Fen Yun at home and add it to your ice cream. You will need the following things:

Ingredients

• Coconut milk, unsweetened, 1 
• Small tapioca pearls 75 g.
• For taste, sugar syrup or any other sweetener.

Method:

• First of all, you heat the water in a pan and heat the tapioca pearls in it until they take a soft form.
• Then cool it and add sugar and other things to it. 
• You can add any other milk instead of milk, like Element and soy milk. 
• Apart from this, you can use any sweetener in it except brown sugar. 
• You have to keep stirring it with a spoon continuously, and by making it with the same consistency, you will easily get a great tea. 
• You can add it in two glasses.

How to Cook Tapioca Pearl for Bubble Tea

To make a delicious tea, it is important to learn how to cook boba for this popular drink, sharing my real experience. Tapioca pearls provide a chewy texture that makes the tea very unique and special. If you are wondering how to cook tapioca pearls for it or simply how to make boba balls, I will guide you through a step-by-step process, which I followed personally most of the time. 

For every cup of tapioca pearls, you need to boil 5 to 6 cups of water in a pot. 

When the water starts boiling at a certain temperature, now it’s time to start adding the pearls. Mix them gently to avoid sticking them together. 

cook them for at least 30 to 40 minutes on a normal flame and start observing. For a chewy texture, cook them longer, and for a normal firm texture, cook them for less time as you will start undertaking from their position.

To become tender, keep the pearls in the hot boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes to observe some water for a chewy texture.

keep the pearls in a jar and drain them. Start adding a brown sugar syrup or natural honey of your choice to add sweetener and depth of flavor. 

As I told you, it’s very simple to start making them on your own and now that you know how to cook tapioca pearls for bubble tea, you can also experiment with different flavors or even try out homemade tapioca pearls recipe that suit your choice of taste. 

How to Make Bubble Tea at Home?

I want to tell you that anything in the kitchen is possible. So today, we’re making bubble tea, and no, I don’t just mean the flavour, and then we’re gonna go get tapioca pearls for a complete drink.

We discuss the four main ingredients of the drink in the beginning, and we also discuss how to make tapioca pearls, which is the hardest and time-consuming step.

Okay, the hardest part is over. Next up is the fun moment of choosing your tea. We have two versions: a traditional brown sugar milk tea and a matcha milk tea for the traditional. 

Steps to Make it

If you want to go to a boba tea shop, that is fine, but if you ever made it yourself, you have complete and total control.

Popular Bubble Tea Flavors

Discover the Magic in Every Sip

As we know, tea comes in various flavors, typically hot or cold. Bubble tea has a unique color texture when chewy tapioca pearl is mixed with milk. It adopts a different type of color, which differentiates it from other regular drinks. People know it for its purple color, but it depends on the flavor.

Tips for better quality Flavors

Choose your tea

When choosing a great tapioca tea, start by selecting the perfect tea base. Black, green, and jasmine tea options, each bringing its own unique flavor. You can explore various types of tea to find the one you prefer.

Cook Properly 

To perfect tea, cook the tapioca pearls until they are soft. Overcooking them will make them mushy, while undercooking will leave them hard inside. After boiling, let the pearl rest in cold water for a few minutes. This stops the cooking process and keeps the pearls soft and chewy for your tapioca tea.

Manage the Sweetness

Start with a small amount of sweetener and taste your tea before adding more. Opt for honey, and agave syrup. These options can provide various flavors while still adding sweetness. Use fresh fruits like strawberries or mangoes to naturally sweeten your beverage.

Explore with Different Types of Milk

Testing out different milk options allows you to customize your taro tea to suit your preferences. Many options like almond, oat milk, and soy to see how they change the taste of your drink.

Why is it becoming more popular every day?

What are Boba Balls Made Of?

Boba balls are primarily made from tapioca starch, derived from the cassava root.

 Here’s an overview of their ingredients and preparations:

Tapioca starch

The primary component, tapioca starch, gives boba its chewy texture. 

Water

It is the most important ingredient in making balls. It is combined with tapioca starch to form a dough; it needs to be just right to achieve the right consistency.

Flavor Enhancer

Many shops use brown sugar syrup to sweeten boba, which adds a rich, caramel flavor, and dark color. Certain boba pearls are sweetened with honey to offer a more natural sweetness. 

Coloring in Boba Balls

Food coloring is frequently added to boba balls to enhance their visual appeal and be more attractive to customers. The bright color encourages customers to try new combinations and share their drinks on social media. 

FAQ

Conclusion

Boba tea, with its chewy bubbles, creamy milk, and sweet flavor, is a tasty drink for everyone. You can choose according to your flavor like mango, or strawberry. However, you can buy it from the shop or make it at home. It is a delicious way to celebrate every moment.

Moreover, this is the boba tea drink for hot days, especially in summer. The bright color and cool look of boba tea also make it great for sharing with friends. You can find shops all around the world, or you can make your version at home by mixing your favorite tea.