Vanilla Tapioca Pudding with Mango and Kiwi Topping

I think I heard of the tapioca pudding first when I was watching Rain Man. However, there was no tapioca around back then to try it. I've been noticing this food since then. Really, it's mentioned in a ton of movies or TV series. Must be a real thing then. Fortunately with the boost of alternative food I could finally after all those years get it - and not just in my bubble tea. 

I noticed most recipes use some kind of precooked pearls or pieces of tapioca. Unfortunately I could only get my hands on the floury type so... let's hope I did it right.

The results were good I think. The texture is little weaker than in normal pudding - it's not as firm, it's rather runnier but it holds together like a pudding should. The biggest surprise was the taste or rather the lack of it. I thought tapioca would have a specific taste but it's just a starch thingy which makes milk in the pudding thicken and that's it so you must put something in there to make it taste like something - hence the vanilla. 

You'll need:

• 400ml milk of choice (no need to use cow if you don't like it because I tried it also with goat, coconut and almond milk and they all worked just as well)
• 3 table spoons tapioca flour
• 2 table spoons brown sugar (or less or more - it's up to your taste buds)
• 1 egg
• 2 tea spoons vanilla extract (or one vanilla bean)
• topping: one kiwi, half a mango

1) Pour the milk into a pot and add the tapioca, sugar and the beaten egg - combine it all well and let it sit for a couple of minutes.

2) Then put it onto your cooker and reach the boiling point while stirring - you know that the milk tends to burn easily, so don't you dare to not stir! ;-)= Once you have reached the boiling point (the bubbles will appear, you know), turn off the stove and stir for an extra minute or two. It should start to thicken. This is where you add the vanilla extract. If you have the bean, add the seeds with everything at the beginning.

3) Pour the mixture into glasses or bowls or whatever you want to serve it in and let it cool down. Once it's cooled down, you want to put it into a really cold environment - say fridge or balcony during the winter time. It will take a couple of hours to get into the jelly-like yet solid state.

4) Before serving, take your fruit and blend it with a hand mixer. I'm used to this rather sour taste, but you can add sugar if you think it's too raw for you. Top the pudding with it and you are ready to eat it.