Bubble tea (also known as pearl milk tea, bubble milk tea, or boba) (Chinese: 珍珠奶茶; pinyin: zhēnzhū nǎichá, 波霸奶茶; bōbà nǎichá) is a tea-based drink invented in Taiwan during the 1980s, which is shaken with ice to create the “bubbles”, a foamy layer on top of the drink; chewy tapioca balls (“pearls”) are added as well. Ice-blended versions are frozen and put into a blender, resulting in a slushy consistency. There are many varieties of the drink with a wide range of flavors. The two most popular varieties are black pearl milk tea and green pearl milk tea.
Ingredients
- 1 cup tapioca pearls (found in the dry goods section in Asian groceries)
- 4 cups freshly brewed strong black tea
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Ice cubes, for shaking
- 1/2 cup whole milk