Dishful

Watermelon Popping Boba

By nabylb

Homemade popping boba pearls made from fresh watermelon juice using reverse spherification, served in a hollowed watermelon. The pearls are formed in a calcium bath and rinsed before serving.

Prep: 45 min · Cook: 0 min · Serves 4 · Cuisine: Fusion

Ingredients

Watermelon Boba Base

• 1 whole, medium seedless watermelon
• 1 tsp sodium alginate

Calcium Bath

• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp calcium chloride

Method

Watermelon Boba Base

1. Cut a square opening out of the top of the watermelon.
2. Insert hand mixer beaters into the opening and mix the internal flesh until liquefied into juice.
3. Pour the watermelon juice into a blender jug, keeping the hollowed-out watermelon intact to use as a serving bowl later.
4. Add sodium alginate to the watermelon juice and blend thoroughly until completely dissolved.
5. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any remaining pulp or foam, then refrigerate until chilled and bubbles dissipate.

Calcium Bath

1. Add water and calcium chloride to a blender and blend until fully dissolved.
2. Chill the calcium bath in the refrigerator.

Assembly

1. Dip a small spherical spoon into the chilled calcium bath.
2. Use a dropper or pipette to fill the spoon with the chilled watermelon mixture, then gently submerge and release the droplet into the calcium bath to form boba pearls.
3. Allow the boba pearls to sit in the calcium bath for a few minutes until a thin skin forms around each sphere.
4. Remove the boba with a slotted spoon, rinse in clean water, and fill the hollowed-out watermelon rind with the popping boba to serve.

Original: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DejLb1bqH6z/?vrfl=aGswazd2YWN3aHky

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