Pearl Lemon Boba
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Grass Jelly Recipe for Bubble Tea

How to make grass jelly for bubble tea from powder: ratio, set time, texture tips, best drinks for it and storage — plus how it differs from tapioca.

Pearl Lemon BobaPublished 1 min read

Grass jelly is a dark, slightly herbal jelly made from the Chinese mesona plant. At home it is easiest from grass jelly powder; it has almost no calories on its own and is naturally caffeine-free and vegan.

Prep: 5 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 15 min · Makes: about 600g (8 drinks)

Ingredients

  • 50g grass jelly powder
  • 100ml cold water
  • 500ml water for boiling
  • 20g sugar (optional)

Method

  1. Mix the powder with 100ml cold water into a smooth slurry.
  2. Bring 500ml water and sugar to the boil.
  3. Pour in the slurry, stirring, and simmer 1–2 minutes.
  4. Pour into a tray, cool, and chill 1 hour. Cut into cubes.

Troubleshooting

  • Lumpy: add the slurry slowly while stirring.
  • Too soft: add 5–10g more powder.
  • Bitter: some brands are; add sugar or serve with brown sugar milk.

Variations

  • Grass jelly milk tea with brown sugar syrup.
  • Over cold soy milk for a vegan dessert.
  • Mixed toppings: half grass jelly, half pearls.

Storage

Keeps 3 days in the fridge in a sealed box.

Making it for a café or event? See bubble tea supplies or our one-day training course.

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We supply tapioca pearls, popping boba, syrups, powders, cups and sealing film on trade terms, with shipping across the UK, Europe and further afield.

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