1/2 cup small pearl tapioca
3 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar (i.e., reduced from 1/2 in original)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Presoak tapioca pearls 12 hrs or more.
2. Combine tapioca, milk and salt in 1.5 quart sauce pan and bring to barely simmering, then turn heat to minumim (low) and add sugar gradually until the tapioca pearls plump up and the mixture has thickened (will take 5+ minutes), stirring so the pudding doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Beat eggs in separate bowl, mixing in small amounts of the hot tapioca mixture into the eggs to equalize the temperature to avoid curdling and cooking the eggs.
4. Add egg mixture to pan with the tapioca. Increase the heat to medium and stir for several minutes to achieve a thick pudding consistency. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla.