There are two types of cassava, bitter and sweet, and both are important sources of starch. Sweet cassava is usually used for the table, like potatoes, either boiled or roasted, and has a flavour similar to chestnuts. Bitter cassava, however, contains prussic acid and can only be used after special treatment to remove the poisonous acid. The common tapioca, highly esteemed for making puddings, is derived from the bitter cassava. Cassava is composed mostly of carbohydrates and is a major source of calories across Africa.
Did you know?
Cassava is known as manioc, manihot, mandioca, tapioca, eddoes, and yucca. Because the word manioc is thought to have originated with the Tupian natives of Brazil, cassava is thought to be native to Brazil. They were taken to Africa around 1600 by the Portuguese, where the roots were quickly absorbed into the African diets. T
Uses and Storage
Cassava should be refrigerated for 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 bread, 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.
2002. Encyclopedia of foods. San Diego, Calif.: Academic Press.
Heaton, D., n.d. A produce reference guide to fruits and vegetables from around the world.