I admit: I fell for a vegan version of tapioca pudding!
As common as tapioca is nowadays — in both pudding and trendy bubble tea beverages —many people have no idea where it comes from. So, in case you were wondering: tapioca is a starch that is extracted from cassava tubers, originally from Brazil. The tuber and the flour derived from it are eaten in many other forms as well, including a delicious Brazilian cheese bread and crunchy, savory fries, but those are recipes for another day.
As exotic as tapioca may be in its origin, it’s not hard at all to prepare tapioca pudding. Essentially, you just cover it with milk, then cook it. That’s about all you need to do, although adding fruit makes it even more interesting and tasty. This vegan version can be healthier than traditional tapioca, without sacrificing flavor.
In this recipe, I used plums, but you can use raspberries, mango, or blueberries. If you want to balance out the sweetness of the plums, you can add a bit of amaretto. Quite intriguing!