Boba, also known as tapioca pearls, is a popular topping in bubble tea drinks. Boba pearls are made from tapioca starch, which comes from the cassava root, a root vegetable native to South America. To make the pearls, tapioca starch is mixed with water to form a dough, which is then rolled into small balls and boiled until they become soft and chewy.

Bubble tea drinks are typically made of a combination of tea, liquid (juice or milk), and toppings, including boba pearls. The drink can be prepared in two ways: as a creamy drink mixed with common tea flavors such as Thai, black, Earl Grey, etc., or as a fruit juice that’s mixed with green or black tea.

In addition to boba pearls, bubble tea shops offer a variety of other toppings, such as fruit jellies, pudding, and aloe vera cubes. Pudding at boba shops is custard-like in flavor, made from egg yolks, cream, and sugar, but firmer due to the addition of gelatin.

Its worth noting that boba pearls are vegan-friendly, as they do not contain gelatin or any other animal-derived ingredients.