Final answer:
To prepare Pearl tapioca for a recipe, soak the pearls in water for several hours or overnight, then strain and rinse them under cold water to remove excess starch.
Step-by-step explanation:
Prior to using Pearl tapioca in a recipe, it must be properly prepared to ensure it cooks evenly and has the right texture. First, the tapioca pearls should be soaked in water for several hours or overnight, which allows them to absorb water and swell.
This step is crucial because if you add dry tapioca pearls directly to a dish, they will not cook properly and will remain hard and gritty. After soaking, the pearls should be strained and rinsed under cold water. This additional rinsing step is done to remove excess starch that may cause the pearls to stick together during cooking.