Tapioca Pudding

A couple days ago I asked my Dad if there was anything he was hungry for.  He said he didn't get hungry at his age.  Of course he doesn't.  He grazes all day long.  It is amazing that he doesn't weigh a lot more than he does.  He told me that I hadn't made rice pudding or tapioca pudding for a long time.  I used to make him rice pudding every week.  I told him that he got sick of eating the rice pudding, but in reality it was me who got sick of making it.  Even though the pressure cooker recipe couldn't be easier. I blogged that recipe  Rice Pudding.

If you are interested, I made another pressure cooker version recently and it was even easier.

You just melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the pressure cooker and add 3 cups of milk.  Set it to Brown and let the milk come to a boil.  Then stir in 1 cup of long grain uncooked rice.  Cover and set the pressure cooker on low for 15 minutes.  Let the pressure release naturally.  It usually takes about 15 minutes.  Remove the cover and stir in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla.  You can add raisins if you choose.  No more cooking, just stir and serve.

 I don't think I ever made tapioca pudding for Dad.  My husband can't stand the thought of it.  He told me when we first got married that tapioca pudding was the pudding with those little fish eyes in it.  As a result of that statement, I never tried to make it.  I remembered that I had a bag of small pearl tapioca that I purchased at a local discount grocery store.  It was $1.00 and I was going to grind it up to use in a gluten free recipe.  I took the bag from the cupboard and the directions said to soak it overnight.  The rest of the recipe required a lot of monkeying around.  It had to be cooked and then egg whites had to be whipped and folded in.  I looked around and found a much easier method.  It actually turned out wonderful for my first attempt.

Tapioca Pudding

3 cups of whole milk
1/2 cup small pearl tapioca (soaked overnight in a cup of water) or 1/2 cup quick cooking tapioca
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Drain the water off the tapioca that has been soaked and stir together with the milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce the heat to low and stir for five more minutes.

Gradually add a cup or so of the hot mixture to the two beaten eggs.  To do this, you have to slowly stir in a couple tablespoons of the hot mixture at a time.  This warms up the eggs gradually without cooking them.  When it is incorporated, then stir back into the rest of the tapioca and mix well.  Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook for two more minutes.  The mixture will become thick.  Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.

Pour it into individual dishes or a bowl and put it into the refrigerator.  I put plastic wrap on top to keep a skin from forming.  When I served it, it was a little thick from the refrigerator so I warmed it for 30 seconds in the microwave.  It would be a perfect consistency if served at room temperature.