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How to make Thai Tea Boba at home
Shake up your next bubble tea experience with this easy recipe for Thai tea boba,
Published November 15, 2021
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Vasileia Fanarioti
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
You may have heard of boba (bubble tea) and its wide variety of flavors, but did you know that it's really easy to make at home? You just need a few ingredients and a little imagination! In this blog post, I'm going to teach you how to make Thai tea boba. So let's get started!
How to make Thai tea boba at home
You're probably thinking that making your own bubble tea is hard work. But in fact, all you have to do is follow my simple step-by-step guide...and voila! In no time at all, you'll be enjoying the sweet taste of this homemade drink from your very own kitchen.
Now wouldn't that be nice?
I'll admit, I don't always have the time or patience to go out and buy myself a cup of bubble tea. That's why I decided to try and make it at home instead. And let me tell you: It's much easier than you think! Even if you're not great in the kitchen, it's nearly impossible to mess this one up.
So without further ado, here is my fool-proof recipe for Homemade Thai Tea Boba:
(makes about 3 servings)
Ingredients
For the tea:
20 black tea bags
1 cup white sugar
2 quarts cold water
1/4 tsp salt
For the syrup:
3/4 cup white sugar
2 1/2 cups water
8 cardamom pods, crushed
For the Thai Tea Boba:
1 cup cooked tapioca pearls
1/2 tsp salt
food coloring of your choice
Instructions:
Step 1: Make the tea by placing 20 black tea bags in a large pot with 2 quarts cold water and 1 cup white sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
Once the syrup has come to a rolling boil, turn off the heat and cover with a lid to allow the tea to steep for 15 minutes. Finally , strain out all of the tea bags and set aside the brewed tea for later use (you should have about 2 quarts of tea).
Step 2: Make the syrup by placing 3/4 cup white sugar, 8 cardamom pods, and 2 1/2 cups water in a saucepan over medium high heat. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, then reduce the heat to low to keep it simmering until you're ready to use it.
Step 3: Boil the tapioca pearls by placing them in a large pot with 1/2 tsp salt and enough water to cover by about an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
Once the mixture reaches boiling point, reduce heat to medium and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes until tapioca are chewy but still slightly undercooked. Drain the tapioca pearls, set aside to cool, then divide into 3 portions for your bubble tea.
Step 4: Assemble all ingredients together in separate containers so it's easier to assemble the drink later. Spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of cooked tapioca pearls into a serving glass. Pour in 1 cup of Thai tea into a serving glass, then add a few drops of food colouring if desired.
Mix well with ice cubes and top it off with the prepared sugar syrup according to your preference. Or if you want to make all three servings at once, simply prepare everything in 3 separate containers and stir it together when you're ready to assemble the bubble tea. It’s time to enjoy!
*Note: It's best not to add too much liquid or else you won't be able to enjoy the "bubbles." Trust me - I learned that lesson the hard way!
The story of boba tea
Boba tea's origins are extremely fuzzy. Most of the history that you can find online is either non-existent or contradicting.
The one common denominator that seems to be agreed upon by almost everyone is that boba tea was invented during the 1980s in Taichung, Taiwan, by Taiwanese tea stand owners after tapioca pearls were accidentally dropped into tea. This gave rise to what we now call bubble tea (or pearl milk tea).
Fast forward a few decades and boba tea is popping up all over North America as a popular drink among young people who enjoy both its taste and its novelty. But I think it's safe to say that most people don't know about where this "bubble" trend came from. Most people think that boba tea is a recent invention, but it has been around since the early 1980s.
FAQs
What is Thai tea boba made of?
Thai tea boba is made of several ingredients , some unique to this beverage alone. The base consists of flavored black tea, either iced or hot, for your consumption.
The boba is made of tapioca balls that are cooked and then frozen. A variety of Thai tea flavorings may be used including natural flavors, artificial flavors, oil extracts, plant based colorings and high fructose corn syrup.
What does Thai tea boba taste like?
A popular beverage in Chinese and Southeast Asian cultures, many people love to drink Thai tea with boba because of its smooth taste. The creamy texture of the milk mixed with the slightly sweetened flavor of the tea is incredibly satisfying and soothing for your taste buds.
Is Thai tea boba good for you?
A typical cup of boba tea contains more calories than most people are willing to admit. A single serving of 6 oz. of Thai iced tea contains around 260-300 calories, over half your daily caloric intake! This can be reduced by choosing a sugar-free version, though the taste is compromised.
Though high in calories, boba does have several health benefits. Boba provides essential fiber for digestive health. It also has less fat than many other desert drinks like puddings or ice cream (though you still wouldn't want to drink it every day). Interestingly enough, there is an ongoing debate whether or not one could be allergic to tapioca pearls; however, there are currently no known allergies associated with boba tea.
Boba is often criticized for its carbohydrate and sugar content, which in most cases can be attributed to the addition of simple syrup in boba drinks (simple syrups are typically made up of just two ingredients: sugar and water). This criticism, however, is unwarranted, as these sugars come from natural sources such as fruit puree or honey. To put things into perspective though, a typical serving of boba contains roughly half the amount of carbohydrates than that of a banana and less than one third the total sugar contained in a cup of apple juice.
The bottom line: Thai tea with boba is far better than drinking soda or coffee, and it's definitely healthier than snacking on potato chips! It's really not that bad for you if you limit your portions.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to make Thai tea boba at home, go ahead and share it with your friends! It's a great recipe for any occasion. Share some of the love by sending this blog post link on social media or emailing it to your family members so they can learn too!
About the author
Vasileia Fanarioti
My name is Vasileia and I’m here because i decided to combine my two favourite things: writing and coffee. I love travelling around the world and visiting coffee shops but my biggest goal is to visit a coffee farm, to see where it all starts! You can follow my coffee adventures via my blog: thewanderingbean.net
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