Taipoca Pearls and Peanuts

In more of Southeast Asia, a favorite kind of sweet is puddings such as this tasty one made with a tapioca home. Traditionally it's made with a starchier kind of banana but the routine banana too works easily. The tapioca pearls called for here are accessible at Asian markets. They're slighter larger than the instant tapioca establish at supermarkets.

Ingredients

Water 3 ½ cups
Tapioca pearls (1/16-inch diameter) 1/3 cup
Unsweetened coconut milk 1 cup
Sugar 1/3 cup or to taste
Salt pinch
Ripe bananas 3 ea.
Chopped roasted peanuts 2 Tbsp.

Method

1. Bring the water to a rolling boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add the tapioca pearls and stir to separate them. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the tapioca becomes translucent, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the coconut milk, sugar and salt and stir well. (At this point the tapioca may still be white in the center but should cook through in the end.)
2. Peel the bananas and cut them in half lengthwise. Cut each half into four pieces. Add bananas to the pot with the tapioca and cook until they're just soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Remove pot from the heat and divide pudding into individual dessert bowls. Garnish with peanuts and serve warm or at room temperature. (The pudding will continue to thicken as it cools.) Refrigerate any leftovers.