Never Struggle To Drink Homemade Boba Again With A Simple Trick

Boba tea is a Taiwanese beverage that has swept the world in the last few decades. While it's become a staple in many cafes and even dedicated bubble tea stores, there's been an upward tick in people deciding to make it at home from scratch. Typically, one drawback arises again and again — the pearls are too big to fit through regular straws. If you don't have special boba tea straws on hand, fear not. The solution is to simply make your pearls smaller from the get-go.

While it looks a little daunting, boba tea pearls are made from just brown sugar, tapioca starch, and water, all mixed together slowly over medium heat. This combination eventually forms a dough, and this is where this hack comes in. Typical boba pearls can be up to 0.3 inches in diameter, but these then require large straws to accommodate. When you cut up your dough, take some extra time to get those pearls small enough for regular straws. It may be a little painstaking, and it won't deliver the same chew as larger bubbles, but the texture will be the same and, hey, you'll be able to drink it. Boba isn't famed just for its aesthetics; you want to be able to reap the delicious reward of your labor!

Pros and amateurs alike have put their own spin on the refreshing drink, and even large chains like Starbucks have jumped on board. There are multiple ways to customize these beverages, ranging from flavored pearls to creative tea and milk choices. If you want to stick with regular brown sugar tapioca pearls, try pairing it with a matcha or Hojicha (an underrated Japanese green tea) drink component. Both of these offer rich flavors that will complement the brown sugar syrup from the tapioca pearls. There's no reason to choose between fun flavors or fun textures — these give you the best of both worlds.

If you've already perfected regular tapioca pearls and want to expand your repertoire, there are a host of fruity options awaiting you — and not just popping boba, either. Mango, strawberry, and even ube sweet potato (okay, not a fruit, but still a sugary and colorful choice!) can amplify your bubble tea. Simply form a puree and add this into your mixture on the stove, before your tapioca starch. For brighter, more vibrant colors, opt for light brown sugar over the traditional dark. The lighter option still brings in a ton of sweetness, and the fruits' natural sugars will compensate for any lost sugar buzz, anyway.