Step 1

Place water and salt in a saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil and add the tapioca pearls. Bring it back to a boil and then immediately lower the heat to medium-low to let them gently simmer. Cover the lid. Make sure the heat is on medium-low so it won't boil over. Stir the tapioca pearls every 10-15 minutes so they won't stick to the bottom of the pot

Step 2

They need to be cooked for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the tapioca pearls are no longer hard in the center. They may still have some cloudiness in the center (white spots), but as long as the tapioca pearls are soft and chewy the way you like them, they are done

Step 3

When you are happy with the texture of the tapioca pearls, stir in sugar until it melts and also add vanilla extract. Stir in the coconut milk. Have a taste and add more sugar if you want it sweeter. Keep the heat on low. The tapioca pearls have slightly thickened the coconut milk

Step 4

Scoop about 1 Tbsp of the coconut milk mixture to the egg yolk while whisking the yolks at the same time. Do this about 2 more times. This is to temper the egg yolk so it won't curdle when you add it to the coconut milk. After that, gradually pour the yolk into the coconut milk and continue to stir until everything is well-combined

Step 5

Mix cornstarch with water and stir until mix. Stir this into the tapioca pudding and cook over medium heat until the mixture is thickened. It will thicken further when it cools down completely

Step 6

Let it cool down for about 15 minutes at room temperature. I love to eat my tapioca pudding warm, but you can chill it in the fridge after it has cooled down for about 15 minutes

Step 7

Leftover can be kept in a container once it cools down completely. Try to consume within 3 days for best taste and texture. The tapioca pearl will be slightly chewier when they are cold, but they should be pleasantly chewy. If you find them getting tougher, you can warm them up in the microwave or over medium heat on the stove before serving.