Directions

• Place tapioca pearls in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Let stand 15 minutes, then drain.
• Add tapioca pearls back into the saucepan and cover with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the tapioca is translucent and no longer white. Strain the tapioca in a fine sieve. (The liquid will be fairly thick, so rinse with water and stir with a spoon to remove some of the liquid.) Refrigerate until cold.
• In the meantime, prepare the pudding base. Slice the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the beans. In a large pot, combine coconut milk, vanilla beans, vanilla pod, and agar agar flakes. Let stand 5 minutes. Slowly bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Place the pot in the refrigerator and cool completely for at least 1 hour.
• Once cool, the liquid will have solidified into a gel. Transfer the gel into a food processor and add the matcha powder. Pulse until smooth.
• Stir the tapioca pearls into the pudding and divide into four small desert bowls. Chill for an additional 5 minutes, or serve immediately. You can serve the pudding as is, or top it with fresh fruit or nondairy whipped cream.
• Store covered in the refrigerator.
• Note: If you plan on transporting this pudding, store in a cooler with ice. You can also split the pudding into smaller portions, conveniently stored in sealed mason jars or plasticware. All you need is a spoon!