Tapioca

—by Katharine Holden

Tapioca is a starchy ingredient derived from dried cassava (or manioc) roots. It’s tasteless on its own. HPC offers both the tapioca “pearls” and the granulated form. The best known use of the pearls in the United States is to simmer them in a sweetened milk base for tapioca pudding. You can make tapioca pudding from granulated tapioca, too. But the granulated form is most often used as an add-in to thicken soups and broths; or it can be reconstituted, formed into strips, and fried. In addition to pearls and granulated tapioca in the bulk spice aisle, feel free to check the dairy cooler for tapioca flour/starch, which is a gluten-free flour alternative.