Bring three cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan.

Rinse a half a cup of small tapioca pearls under cold running water in a fine-mesh sieve for about 30 seconds to remove excess starch. Drain well.

Add the rinsed tapioca pearls to the boiling water, stirring gently to prevent sticking.

Once the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, maintaining a gentle simmer.

Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently (every 1-2 minutes) to ensure the pearls do not stick to the bottom or each other. The pearls should become translucent with a tiny white opaque center.

Remove from heat, cover the saucepan, and let stand for another 5-10 minutes to allow the pearls to finish cooking through and become fully translucent.

Drain the cooked tapioca pearls in a sieve and rinse them briefly under cold water to stop the cooking process and remove any remaining starch. This also prevents them from sticking together.

Serve immediately, or immerse in a simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, dissolved) if storing for later use.