SERVES 4
TIME 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

1/3 cup small pearl tapioca*
1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
About 1 cup whole milk or soy milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3/4 cup unsweetened large-flake coconut*, toasted
1/2 cup chopped fresh fruit such as mango, papaya, or kiwi fruit

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, cook tapioca in 1 1/2 qts. boiling water until only slightly chewy to the bite, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour through a fine strainer.

2. Meanwhile, in another medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the coconut milk, 1 cup whole milk, the sugar, and vanilla bean, pressing bean gently to loosen seeds, until steaming, 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Stir drained tapioca into vanilla mixture. Cook, stirring often, until tapioca pearls are clear and just tender, 3 to 6 minutes.

4. Let pudding cool, then chill, stirring occasionally, at least 1 1/4 hours. Remove vanilla bean and stir in more milk if pudding seems too thick.

5. Spoon pudding into tall glasses. Top with toasted coconut and fresh fruit.

*Find small pearl tapioca in a grocery store’s baking aisle or Asian food aisle, or buy it at an Asian market. Get large-flake coconut at a natural-foods store and toast it in a 350° oven until light golden, 3 to 4 minutes.

Make ahead: Chill pudding up to 1 day.

PER SERVING 412 Cal., 66% (270 Cal.) from fat; 4.9 g protein; 30 g fat (26 g sat.); 36 g carbo (1 g fiber); 107 mg sodium; 8.5 mg chol.

Serve with She Wines Red table wine 2005 (Calaveras County)