Strawberry Boba Tea

My kids and I used to drink boba tea every day after school. Iced or hot, the delicious concoctions of fruit syrup, tea and gummy balls would keep us all jolly in the car as we headed home, slurping and chewing, oblivious to the usual aggravations of Los Angeles traffic.

But when our favorite boba café went out of business, we were forced to find another source for our daily fix. So I figured out how to make a version of the delicious Taiwanese drink at home, this time with real fruit instead of artificial syrup and soy creamer instead of cream.

You can buy the black tapioca pearls online (search for “boba tea” and you will find thousands of listings). Make sure to buy the jumbo straws as well, or you will have to wait until your tea is nearly gone before getting to the chewy little devils at the bottom of your glass.

Since I usually keep my kids hydrated during the summer with jugs of iced green, white, and red tea, this novel treat comes together quickly. It is sure to delight your guests as they join you for a summer meal. Once you finish chewing, let me know what you think!

Serves 4

2 decaffeinated green (or your favorite) tea bags

1 cup dried boba (tapioca) balls

2 cups frozen strawberries

Ice

1 cup vanilla soy creamer

1. Steep tea bags in 2 cups boiling water for 10 minutes or so until full-flavored. Remove the bags and set aside.

2. Prepare boba as directed on package, then set aside.

3. While the boba are cooking, purée the strawberries in a blender with a little tea until smooth.

4. Pour the tea, strawberry purée, and ice into a bar shaker or airtight container with a lid and shake until cold.

5. Place 1/4 cup of drained boba into each of 4 glasses, fill each with ice, and then strain the tea mixture into each glass, leaving a little room at the top. Add a splash of soy creamer to each. Serve with jumbo straws.

Note: Boba can be cooled and kept in an airtight container for 2-3 days. To reconstitute, place in boiling water for a minute or two, then drain.

Try our refreshing Pomegranate-Mint Mojitos.