Bubble tea on the cheap

Anyone who knows me is well aware of my unrelenting coffee habit. But only close friends truly know my other drink obsession.

That is, until now.

Might I introduce you to this delicious dream some call boba tea, or bubble tea.

Bubble tea. Also, known as my self-care

I don't know whether it's the satisfying movement of the boba through the wide straw to my mouth or the straight up sugar hit, but ever since I tried the drink about eight years ago, I've been hooked.

At one point, I was glad to get a raise at work so I could buy a boba tea once a week and not have to cut out any other expenses. This was in the period before the coronavirus pandemic, so it was a quick walk down the block and into a shop to buy a nearly $5 tea. Once I was shuttered inside the house, I realized that might not be a sustainable weekly (okay, biweekly) purchase considering delivery fees and everyone in my house wanting one, too. It's bad enough I spent about $50 on cake pops during the fifth and sixth months of staying at home!

So, like the genius, I am, I went searching for a cheaper way. And y'all, I found one.

I made it myself with the help of the grocery store and Amazon. True story. The end.

Oh, wait. Actually, yes, I'm going to share what I do right here, along with some tips.

AUNTIE META'S SHORTCUT BUBBLE TEA

Time estimate: 20 minutes or less once you get it down.

Ingredients:

1. boba. I recommend this one or this one.

2. milk and/or tea (black, green or jasmine are the best, but of course, you can use others)

3. bubble tea mix (I recommend honey dew, taro, or coconut, but go with your gut here)

4. water

5. ice (optional)

Equipment:

1. a pot

2. your stove

3. measuring cup (1/4)

4. 1 tablespoon

5. glass bowl or measuring cup that can withstand heat

6. shaker or pitcher

7. spoon

8. A glass or cup to enjoy your beverage

9. bubble tea straw <-- I consider this pretty crucial

What to do:

1. Pour about 5-6 cups of water into the pot, and get water boiling on the stove. Note: if you want actual tea in your bubble tea, I'd recommend either making or purchasing your tea ahead of time OR making it during this step as well.

2. Scoop out a 1/4 cup of boba per serving and place in the pot of water.

3. Let the boba cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. While that's happening, fill your shaker with milk (about 1 1/2 cups) and scoop out 2-5 tablespoons of the bubble tea powder. Put the top on and shake it for about 30 seconds. (You can also just stir this like crazy in a pitcher if you don't have a shaker). If you actually want tea in it, you can either swap it for the milk or play around with a ratio of milk to tea here. I once did a mix of green tea (about 1/2 a cup) and milk and it turned out pretty well.

5. Once the boba is floating, or has a bit of a chewy consistency and is a bit shiny, spoon them into a container of cool water (a bowl or a glass measuring cup). This will keep them from overcooking. Leave them there for a minute or two but not too long because the best boba is usually a bit warm when you start building the drink, in my opinion.

6. Get that glass or cup. Spoon in your boba.

7. If you want ice, add some here next. If not, pour in that bubble milk or tea you just made.

8. Stir it up with your straw.

9. Enjoy!

Once you make this a few times, you'll figure out how many scoops of powder you like to use, and you may even adjust the amount of liquid. You can also get really crazy with flavor combinations. There are fruity boba as well.

If you're still feeling nervous about doing it this way, then no worries: there are kits out there. I used one like this to start (you'll just want to make sure that if you like actual pearls, the kit includes it or you buy it separately).

Happy tasting!