flipZhen zhu nai cha — bubble tea
Zhen zhu nai cha — bubble tea
Why this dish? Invented in Taiwan in the 1980s, bubble tea has become the sweet ambassador of the island around the world — an emblem of the globalization of Taiwanese culture that precisely embodies Ang Lee's international career. A drink of youth, breaks, and sharing, it accompanies the contemporary Taiwan he carries with him.
A cold, sweet milk tea in which large warm, chewy tapioca pearls roll, sucked up through a fat straw. Both a drink and a snack, cheerful and comforting.
Here is something that did not exist in my childhood and yet has become Taiwan in the eyes of the world — proving that an island can invent new symbols for itself. Young people love it; I like that the tea remains strong enough not to drown in the sugar. The pearls must be eaten warm, still elastic under the tooth. It is a small simple joy, and simple joys travel well.
- •Tapioca pearls — a handful (texture)
- •Strong black tea — a good infusion (base)
- •Milk — to taste (creaminess)
- •Sugar or syrup — to taste (sweetness)
Zhen zhu nai cha — bubble tea
A cold, sweet milk tea in which large warm, chewy tapioca pearls roll, sucked up through a fat straw. Both a drink and a snack, cheerful and comforting.
Why this dish? Invented in Taiwan in the 1980s, bubble tea has become the sweet ambassador of the island around the world — an emblem of the globalization of Taiwanese culture that precisely embodies Ang Lee's international career. A drink of youth, breaks, and sharing, it accompanies the contemporary Taiwan he carries with him.
Here is something that did not exist in my childhood and yet has become Taiwan in the eyes of the world — proving that an island can invent new symbols for itself. Young people love it; I like that the tea remains strong enough not to drown in the sugar. The pearls must be eaten warm, still elastic under the tooth. It is a small simple joy, and simple joys travel well.
Ingredients (period version)
- Tapioca pearls — a handful (texture)
- Strong black tea — a good infusion (base)
- Milk — to taste (creaminess)
- Sugar or syrup — to taste (sweetness)
Ingredients
- Black tapioca pearls — 100 g (pearls)
- Brown sugar (for pearl syrup) — 3 tbsp (coating pearls)
- Black tea (Assam or Taiwanese tea) — 3 bags / 15 g (base)
- Water — 500 ml (infusion)
- Whole milk (or condensed milk) — 250 ml (creaminess)
- Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- Ice cubes — as desired (coldness)
Method
- Cook the tapioca pearls in a large pot of boiling water for 20-30 minutes according to package, then let rest off heat for 10 minutes.
- Drain the pearls and coat them with melted brown sugar and a little water to make a syrup; keep warm.
- Steep the black tea strongly in hot water for 5 minutes, then let cool.
- Divide the pearls among glasses, add ice, tea, and milk.
- Sweeten to taste, stir, and serve with a fat straw.
How it was made : Bubble tea is said to have originated in tea houses in Taichung or Tainan in the mid-1980s, when a vendor had the idea of adding tapioca balls to iced milk tea. The success was explosive, and the island exported it worldwide, making it a cultural icon.
The contemporary twist : A version with high-mountain Taiwanese oolong tea and lightly sweetened milk for adult palates — more floral, less sweet.
Ang Lee · Charactorium
