I recall this delightful non-dairy dessert that leaves you feeling satisfied and refreshed. The recipe was originally from Anna, who made it a few years ago. I remember she prepared it in one bowl instead of individual glasses, and her husband, Leon, decorated the fruit in a beautiful mandala. It was stunning! She printed out the recipe for me, but it got lost among the pages of one of my many cookbooks. I recently stumbled upon it, folded and tucked away in one of those pages. It felt fitting to make it for our Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) dinner.
When we lived in Israel, we used to share this evening with their family for many years. So, a bit of their essence joined us and our dear friends in our celebration. We celebrated as we would have with them, following the tradition of picking cards for the coming New Year.
TAPIOCA PUDDING
If you don’t like coconut, you could easily replace the coconut with your choice of homemade nut milk and the toasted coconut with nuts. Use any fruit in season or your favourite combination. The tapioca needs constant attention and involves much stirring, as it can scorch the bottom of the pan, so allow it to keep you focused and patient.
makes 8 -10 servings
ingredients
2 cans of coconut milk (not light)
filtered water
½ cup small pearl tapioca (not instant)
½ tsp rock salt
⅓ – ½ cup maple syrup, or sweetener of your choice
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
for the topping
1 ripe mango, diced
1 cup pomegranate seeds
½ cup toasted dried shredded coconut
preparation
- Pour the coconut milk and 1 full can of water (a good way to rinse out all the coconut from the can) into a medium-sized, thick-bottomed pot.
- Add the tapioca and salt, and scrape the vanilla bean along its length with a knife. Add the bean “paste” and the bean itself to the pot (if using vanilla extract in place of the vanilla bean, stir it in at the very end after the pudding is completely cooked).
- Over medium heat, slowly bring the mixture just barely to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
- Stir in the sweetener, 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—25 – 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. It will thicken as it cools.
- Remove the vanilla bean and spoon into individual serving bowls. Garnish with fruit and sprinkle with the toasted coconut just before serving. It is surprisingly creamy, light, soothing, and refreshing. You can serve it warm or chilled.
Goodness shared from Stacey
