Tropical Tapioca Pudding

I was so excited to find a recipe for tapioca pudding. I know it is dad’s favorite!

“This dessert is really about the rich flavor of the coconut milk and the natural sweetness of the fruits—it’s not supersweet. You can use one of the tropical fruits listed or create one of your own combinations, and feel free to play with the proportions—you might want to include extra fruit or, if your sweet tooth demands it, a bit more sugar.”

Tapioca Pudding
2 (13.5 ounce) cans Coconut Milk (Not Light)
½ cup Small Peal Tapioca (Not Instant)
½ tsp Sea Salt
½ cup Granulated Sugar, or ¼ cup light agave nectar
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract

Tropical Fruit (choose one or combine)
2 large ripe Bananas, diced
1 ripe Mango, diced
1-1½ cups drained canned crushed pineapple or pineapple chunks
1-1½ cups pomegranate seeds
1 large persimmon, diced
3-4 kiwis, peeled and diced or sliced

Combine the coconut milk (be sure to scrape all the thick cream from the cans), 1 full can water, the tapioca, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Stir in the sugar, then reduce the heat to medium-low and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pudding has thickened and the tapioca pearls are completely translucent, 20 to 25 minutes.

Removed from the heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste or extract. Gently fold in the fruit and let cool for 15 minutes. Spoon into serving bowls and serve warm or chill, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving. Garnish with your favorite fresh fruit.

Makes 8 to 10 servings
Prep time: 50 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling, if desired

From: Tal Ronnen’s book, “The Conscious Cook”