It’s funny how sometimes after going vegan you end up
missing things you never liked all that much before. As a non-vegan I thought tapioca was okay but nothing special.
But having not tasted any for at least a decade, I came across a recipe and
thought, hmmm. That sounds sort of good. And I was pretty pleased with the
result. Either tapioca is better than I
remembered, or the homemade (and vegan) version is better than the little ready
made cups I had as a kid. The fruit helps too.
The spices, flavorings and sweetness can be increased or
varied if you like. I wouldn’t leave
out the coconut extract, though—it adds a lovely richness to the flavor.
Lightly Spiced Vegan Tapioca Pudding (with sugar-free
option)
3 cups soymilk, vanilla or plain (or other nondairy milk)
4 Tbsp instant tapioca (just pearls without flavoring or
sweetener)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
½ cup sugar or equivalent sweetener (more or less according to how
sweet your soymilk is)
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp coconut extract
Fruit (soft tangy fruits such as berries, mango, apricot,
peach, or pear)
Directions:
 |
| Thickened and cooling |
Whisk together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the soy milk; set aside. Place rest of soymilk, tapioca, sweetener, and spices in
saucepan, stir, and let sit for about five minutes at room temperature. Stir in
cornstarch slurry. Cook over medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of
the pan unceasingly until it comes to a full boil and stays there for 1 minute.
It should be somewhat thickened at this point. Take pan off heat and stir in
vanilla and coconut extract. Let cool for twenty minutes, at which point it
should be quite thick.
 |
| A mix of mangoes and apricots |
Meanwhile, prepare your fruit by washing, peeling and
chopping as necessary.
Serve by dividing fruit among serving bowls, and spooning
pudding over top. You could garnish with nuts or toasted coconut if you like.
