Tapioca pudding was the dessert of my childhood, My grandparents lived next door and always came for dinner on Monday night, and tapioca pudding rounded it out.

My mom (and now I) use the recipe on the Minute Tapioca box that calls for separating an egg--only we use two eggs instead of one. That's all it takes to make it light and fluffy. I like it on the warm side or at least room temperature, but the rest of my family preferred cold. Oh, and don't forget the vanilla.

I wouldn't have imagined it as part of an Asian meal. It's always seemed very middle-America homespun to me.

I know, Bunny, i didn't expect to see it under a search for "asian desserts". But tapioca per se is very Asian; think bubble tea. Tapioca pudding is American, but tapioca desserts are all over Asia. I think the cassava root is grown in many parts of the world.

Garnishing it with coconut and mango and lime probably ups the asian-ity, too, LOL.

I think I will make some tomorrow, but sans fruit.

Tapioca was one of the desserts of my childhood, too. We always used Minute Tapioca. Now, I use Bob's Red Mill Tapioca; you can purchase on Amazon. Yum, yum, yum!

I also used the recipe with the separated eggs on the box to great acclaim at Easter last year.

One of the few things my mother could make was tapioca pudding. I actually commented the other day to my husband about the box of minute tapioca that I bought and still haven’t used. I guess it was a “good memory” purchase. I do buy Kozy Shack tapioca pudding once in a while. Guess that was no help!

Another one here who grew up on tapioca. I've also made it, although not recently. I remember folding in egg whites. Also, I'm a fan of the larger size pearl tapioca, though I realize most people think they are gross (fish eyes). Now I'm in the mood for it.

Maybe I will buy the box of minute tapioca and do the recipe as a dry run. Don't imagine my family would mind. I think the last time I made it I was trying too hard; it was not instant and not the box either.

Yeah, the egg whites make the difference. IIRC, when I was a child in the era before egg contamination became a thing, even the boxed version of tapioca pudding recommended whipping an egg white and folding it in for a lighter result.

I like the larger tapioca pearls, too, jojoco.

What a sweet memory. Haven't had tapioca pudding since I was a kid. My mom sometimes added raisins.

I don’t like tapioca but one of my favorite desserts is cold mango with warm sticky rice — so I recommend warm tapioca like Bunny fondly remembers.

I love tapioca pudding too, but never, ever had home made tapioca with eggs in it, just milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, and Minute Tapioca.

Did you use whole milk when it turned out 'rubbery'?

And FWIW, I figured out how to make my own 'minute tapioca' when all I had was pearl - just whiz it in the blender or a coffee grinder to crack it into little pieces.

I also use a tablespoon of 'minute' tapioca in the bottom of fruit pies to thicken.

I use Minute tapioca in my berry pies. The proportions are on the back of the box.

Carol ... I think I used ..... cream. But I was following a recipe. I think it was this one:https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/old-fashioned-tapioca-pudding-315165

Yes, I use a bit of it in berry pies too

Funky, how do you make sticky rice w mango?

Okay, guess what I'm having for breakfast this very minute! Right out of the bowl and still warm.

I think you only get rubbery at the bottom if you don't adequately incorporate the beaten whites. They will hold up to some stirring. I remember from long ago sometimes you can get some separation after it sits awhile (i.e., a little clear liquid at the bottom of the bowl). I've had, and enjoyed, tapioca made with whole milk and fat-free. That may have something to do with the potential for separation. I use 2% for everything, unless a recipe insists on whole milk.

To avoid separation and/or rubbery bottom, I would plate/bowl from the original bowl, rather than filling each dish from the outset.

You may prefer a very homogenous blend, but I kinda like a bit of egg white for texture. Also, depending on what you include with the tapioca, I think you can safely cut back by 25-50% the amount of sugar Minute calls for. Sugar does help egg whites inflate though.

Tapioca pudding was one of my grandmother’s specialties. Alas, I don’t have her recipe but now I am hungry for some.

For anyone interested, the asian puddings are usually made with sago, not tapioca. They are very similar in use, but come from different plants.

Sago is made from the pith of various palm trees (from South-east Asia).

Tapioca is made from the root of the cassava plant (from South America).

How interesting! Does the taste or texture differ much?

Sounds like everybody has fond tapioca memories!

Personally, I think they taste very much the same. The texture is the same but I think one is a slightly larger 'pearl', but I honestly can't remember which. I think some of them vary by brand or country of origin, anyway.

Oh dear...., you know exactly what I feel like eating now, don't you? ;o)