Directions

1. Place the tapioca pearls into a bowl and soak in the water for 6 hours to overnight.
2. Using a strainer, drain excess water from the soaked tapioca.
3. Mix the milk and eggnog in a large saucepan over medium-low heat and heat until barely warm; stir in salt and soaked tapioca. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture barely simmers. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4. Beat eggs in a bowl. Temper the eggs by whisking about 2 tablespoons of the hot tapioca mixture into them. Continue whisking small amounts of tapioca into the eggs until the egg mixture is about half tapioca.
5. Whisk the egg mixture into the saucepan of tapioca and turn heat up to medium-low. Simmer the pudding until thickened, about 15 minutes. Do not allow to boil. Serve warm or cold.