Sweet Tapioca Steamed Dessert

This tapioca steamed dessert is a healthy, sweet Asian snack/dessert that is popular in South East Asia. It is relatively easy to prepare if you have the right ingredients. Fresh tapioca roots are skinned and blended with raw hardened rock sugar (rapadura or muscovado), then wrapped in green banana leaves and steamed, and finally served with coconut milk.

To create this dessert, I ventured into the garden where my friend had an abundance of tapioca. I pulled several roots and got to work. It was wonderful to feel the rich reddish-brown, clay-like earth and experience truly fresh food – we even had a tapioca party. I cooked tapioca chips, braised tapioca codfish, and even made a vegan gluten-free tapioca-based pizza, culminating in this steamed tapioca dessert that made everyone's day.

Tapioca, made entirely from roots, offers various health benefits. It is known for being stomach-friendly and easier to digest than starches or flours made from grains or nuts. Those with conditions such as IBS or diverticulitis may find tapioca to be a good source of calories and an excellent alternative to wheat, which can sometimes trigger digestive discomfort.