Back in 2010, I was looking for some new games to start playing. I began to look through the demos currently available for the Playstation 3. I decided to try a little demo for a game called Yakuza 3. The description seemed interesting enough to give it a try. Right away, I was pulled in and ready to pick up the full game. The details of Kamurocho were amazing, the story was intriguing, and the amount of extra activities was a whole extra game in itself. Little did I know, this series was going to be one of my favorites to this day. If you’ve been on this blog before you already know I’m a huge fan of the Yakuza series and I’m always looking for an excuse to talk more about the series. Please go play them, they are very, very good games!
After finishing Yakuza: Like a Dragon, I’ve been making my way through the whole series again starting at Yakuza 0. I just finished up my playthrough of Yakuza 3: Remastered and this game still holds a special place in my heart. I got to hang out with all the wonderful characters and experience its great story again. The combat is maybe the only thing I wasn’t really missing, the enemies block too much. Being able to explore Okinawa in the game is such a nice change from the chaotic streets of Kamurocho. Morning Glory Orphanage is right on the beachfront and it is just so calming. Throughout the game, Kiryu gets to spend time with the children he is raising and just gets to be a good dad. I really appreciate those moments because it is a nice change of pace from the combat-filled life we are used to in these games.
One of the areas you get to explore often in Okinawa is a large arcade filled with many small shops. While roaming around I got very distracted by the Quickly, a real-life bubble tea franchise, in the game. The list of options in this place is so wonderful and it reminded me of a time I can go out and get bubble tea whenever. I am a huge fan of bubble tea and this past year I have been dabbling in making a large variety of drinks. I haven’t made my own boba yet but I’m pretty sure it is only a matter of time until I dive into that. For this recipe we will be using instant tapioca pearls which can be ordered online (this is the brand I used). When I get bubble tea 95% of the time I’m ordering the matcha one so that is the flavor we will be focusing on today.
Jump to Printable RecipeBoba
5 cups water
½ cup instant black tapioca pearls
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
Place a pan with water over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and add the instant black tapioca pearls. Stir and cook for two to three minutes or until the pearls float. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook for another two to three minutes. Turn off the heat, keep covered, and cook for another two to four minutes, or until the tapioca has softened completely.
Drain through a strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Combine honey, sugar, and ½ cup of hot water in a medium bowl. Whisk together until the sugar has dissolved. Add the tapioca and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours.
Assembly
4 tsp – 2 tbsp matcha powder (depends how bitter you would like this)
½ cup hot water (at 175°F)
3 cups almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
8 ice cubes
Split the boba between two large glasses. Sift the matcha into a bowl. Pour the hot water and whisk the matcha until completely smooth.
Combine the matcha, almond milk, vanillas extract, and sweetened condensed milk in a blender. Blend until combined. Add the ice cubes and blend until crushed. Pour in the two glasses with the boba.
Matcha Milk Tea
Ingredients
Boba
- 5 cups water
- ½ cup instant black tapioca pearls
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
Assembly
- 4 tsp- 2 tbsp matcha powder depends how bitter you would like this
- ½ cup hot water at 175°F
- 3 cups almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 8 ice cubes
Instructions
Boba
- Place a pan with water over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and add the instant black tapioca pearls. Stir and cook for two to three minutes or until the pearls float. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to cook for another two to three minutes. Turn off the heat, keep covered, and cook for another two to four minutes, or until the tapioca has softened completely.
- Drain through a strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Combine honey, sugar, and ½ cup of hot water in a medium bowl. Whisk together until the sugar has dissolved. Add the tapioca and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours.
Assembly
- Split the boba between two large glasses. Sift the matcha into a bowl. Pour the hot water and whisk the matcha until completely smooth.
- Combine the matcha, almond milk, vanillas extract, and sweetened condensed milk in a blender. Blend until combined. Add the ice cubes and blend until crushed. Pour in the two glasses with the boba.
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