How to cook cassava

The cassava is a root 2 to 3 inches in diameter and 6 to 12 inches long, covered with a coarse, inedible brown skin. To help preserve the root, the skin is often coated with a shiny film of wax. The flesh of the tuber is white with thin veins running through it and is potato-like in texture.

Family – Euphorbiaceae
Scientific names – Manihot esculenta Crantz (Manihot ultissima Phol [sweet]; Manihot aipi Phol [bitter])

Common name – yuca, tapioca, manioc, apple

Varieties

Until recently, the many varieties of cassava were divided into two main categories: bitter and sweet. Because the bitter root contains substances that are converted to toxic cyanide compounds when the root is cut, it must not be eaten raw; cooking destroys these substances. Although sweet cassava is believed to have low amounts of these potential toxins, taste is not a reliable predictor of toxin content, and experts recommend that all cassava be cooked.

Origin and botanical facts

The cassava originated in Brazil, Paraguay, and the Caribbean Islands, from where it was introduced to Africa and the Far East. Africa is now the leading producer, and cassava is an important dietary staple throughout the continent. In the United States, cassava is grown in Florida and is imported from Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Antilles.

Cassava is propagated from stem cuttings. Ideal growing conditions include temperatures between 77 and 86 degrees F (the plants cease to grow if temperatures fall below 50 degrees F). Most cassava roots are harvested by hand, although Brazil has developed mechanical harvesters. Because the roots are extremely sensitive to physical damage, harvesting must be done carefully.

To increase the short shelf life of the cassava further, the leaves are removed 2 weeks before harvest. In addition to dipping the roots into wax, storing the newly harvested roots in plastic bags extends the shelf life by 3 to 4 weeks.

How to cook cassava

Cassava should be refrigerated no more than 4 days. The peeled cassava can be boiled and mashed, baked, or sliced and fried, identical to the cooking of potatoes. Alternatively, the peeled root can be grated and the starch extracted to make breads, crackers, pasta, and tapioca pearls (a commercial product used to make pudding). In Africa, the roots are fermented in water, after which they are made into an alcoholic beverage; sundried for storage; or grated, formed into a dough, and cooked alone or in soups or stews. West Indians cook bitter cassava with brown sugar and spices to make a condiment called cassareep, available in Caribbean markets. In addition to its varied uses in the human diet, cassava is used as animal feed and in many industrial applications.

Nutrient composition

Cassava is composed mostly of carbohydrate and is a major source of calories in Third-World countries.