What is tapioca starch?!
(I'm 17, into my second week of veganism, and trying to learn as much as possible)
Answers: is it vegan?
(I'm 17, into my second week of veganism, and trying to learn as much as possible)
Yes, it is vegan. Tapioca is, according to a site I found:
"Tapioca is a starch which is used as a food thickener, perhaps most famously in tapioca pudding. The term is also used generically in some places to refer to other food thickeners, which can lead to some confusion. True tapioca is extracted from the cassava root, using a complex multi-step process which leaches out toxins in the root to get at the usable starch within. Many cultures all over the world have adopted tapioca for use in their own cuisine."
You should try tapioca pearls in smoothies, I purchase large pearls, they are the size of peas (but a bluish-black color), and when you let them soak they become soft and they taste fantastic. I put them on the bottom of a fruit smoothie and I purchase really wide-necked straws so that the tapioca pearls can fit in the straw too.
Tapioca is basically a root starch derived from the cassava, or yuca plant. It's often used to thicken soups and sweeten the flavor of baked goods ask.yahoo.com/20010702.html
Alton Brown did a show that had a huge focus on tapioca. The link below takes you to recipes from that show.
Tapioca Pudding Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2004
3 1/2 ounces large pearl tapioca, approximately 1/2 cup
2 cups cold water
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup sugar
1 lemon, zested
Pinch salt
Place tapioca in a medium mixing bowl along with the water, cover, and let stand overnight.
Drain water from tapioca. Place the tapioca into a slow cooker along with the milk, heavy cream, and salt. Cook on high for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and sugar.
Temper small amounts of the tapioca into the egg mixture until you have added at least 1 cup.
Then add this back into the remaining tapioca in the slow cooker.
Add the lemon zest and stir to combine.
Cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring at least once.
Transfer the pudding to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap.
Allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour and then place in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.
It's a wonderful thickener that is easier to use than arrowroot or corn starch. It doesn't require that you disssolve it or thin it ... sprinkle it right into the dish and it thickens. Oriental chef prefer tapioca starch to other thickeners. Plus it does not leave a grainy aftertaste.
Tapioca starch is just ground up tapioca, which comes from a yucca plant (casava) It is vegetarian/vegan, and works much like cornstarch. It is often used as a flour substitute for people (like me) who are allergic to corn and wheat. It works great as a thickener for soups, gravy, etc. Good luck on your vegan journey! Your body will surely thank you for making better choices!
Tapioca starch is just another name for cassava flour which is widely used in Africa, South America and Asia