Name: Coconut and Palm Sugar Syrup with Tapioca, Tropical Fruit, and Shaved Ice
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 8 1/4 cups water; 2/3 cup large (3/4- to 1/4-inch) pearl tapioca (not quick-cooking); 1/2 cup grated or crumbled dark palm sugar (4 oz)*; 2 (13- to 14-oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk (do not shake); 2 firm-ripe mangoes (1 1/2 lb total), peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces; 1 lb firm-ripe papaya (preferably red), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces; 1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces; 2 cups shaved ice; Garnish: fresh coconut shavings, toasted; an ice shaver, preferably manual

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Coconut and Palm Sugar Syrup with Tapioca, Tropical Fruit, and Shaved IceRita Maas

Made from yuca (pronounced "YOO-ca"), pearl tapioca can be found at Asian markets and specialty foods shops.

Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Cooks' notes:

Small pearl tapioca may be substituted for large, but the cooking time must be reduced to about 5 minutes boiling time and 15 minutes standing time. For this recipe, we prefer one of the following brands of coconut milk because the thin liquid and the creamlike layer are distinctly separated: A Taste of Thai, Mount Tai, Thai Kitchen, or Ka-Me. Syrup can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Recipe notes

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