Tapioca pudding is a sweet pudding made with tapioca and either milk or cream. It is made in many cultures with equally varying styles and may be produced in a variety of ways. Its consistency can differ between recipes: some variations are thin and runny, while some others are viscous enough to pick up with a fork.
Varieties
The pudding can be made from scratch using tapioca in a variety of forms: flakes, coarse meal, sticks, and pearls. Many commercial packaged mixes are also available. Some recipes circulated in the British Empire during the 18th century used cinnamon, red wine, and even bone marrow as seasonings for the pudding. Tapioca pudding is a popular type of Tong sui in Chinese cuisine.
British schoolchildren have nicknamed the dish frog spawn due to its appearance. The Guardian described it as "Britain's most hated school pudding" with names such as fisheyes, frogspawn, and eyeball pudding. It is, however, making a comeback in the 21st century in many restaurants, including several Michelin-starred restaurants.
Tapioca pudding was one of the dishes that Rhode Island army officers ate for their Fourth of July celebrations during the siege of Petersburg.
In the United Kingdom, July 16th is recognized as National Tapioca Pudding Day.
See also
- Congee
- Sago pudding
- Rice pudding
- Semolina pudding
- Helmipuuro
- Sago soup
- Mango pomelo sago
- List of African dishes