Are you looking for new ingredients for cooking healthful meals? This guide answers the question “What is cassava?” and explains how to cook with it.
It looks like a sweet potato, tastes similar to a normal potato except nuttier, and is absolutely packed with nutrients.
Introducing cassava. A staple root vegetable in tropical regions throughout the world that has started to show up on the shores of America.
But what is cassava and why is it starting to become so popular? Well, it’s got double the amount of calories and carbohydrates than potatoes, it’s gluten-free and is overflowing with nutrients. What’s not to love?
Want to know more? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about cassava, from what it is, to how to prepare it, and of course, eating it!
Cassava 101
Cassava has for a long time been a staple food in many diets around the world. However, it’s only within recent years that we’ve seen this starchy vegetable pop up on grocery store shelves and menus in the USA.
Also known as yuca or manioc, cassava is a root vegetable that is primarily grown and eaten in Africa, South America, and Asia. The vegetable is packed with nutrients and is available in two types: sweet and bitter.
Cassava is a tuber crop. This means that it is the part of the cassava shrub that grows underground, exactly like a potato or yam.
This nutrient-rich root vegetable is the staple ingredient in the diets of around 800 million people across the world. It grows easily and is hardy — surviving the toughest of conditions, such as droughts that are common in Africa.
Benefits of Cassava
There are plenty of health and nutritional benefits to gain from cooking with cassava. This is why it has boomed in popularity in recent years.
Firstly, it is a calorie-dense vegetable that provides a healthy source of carbohydrates and important vitamins and minerals. Containing double the amount of calories and carbs than potatoes, it’s a fantastic energy source.
Cassava contains a notable amount of vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. As mentioned earlier, it is a starchy vegetable. However, to be more specific it is a source of resistant starches.
These starches remain almost completely unchanged as they pass through the digestive tract which helps to nurture beneficial gut bacteria and improve overall gut health.
The benefits don’t stop with the flesh of the vegetable. The leaves can be consumed too. When dried, they contain up to 25% of protein — talk about a protein kick!
It’s the ideal food for people who follow a gluten-free or paleo diet. And if you’re looking for gluten-free flour to make baked goods, tapioca starch from cassava works like a charm.
How to Eat Cassava (and How Not To)
There are plenty of different ways to eat cassava which will be discussed shortly. But there’s one that you shouldn’t eat it — raw. This is because when cassava is raw it contains cyanide, a toxic substance if ingested.
It’s important to know that of the two types of cassava, the bitter variety has a more potent amount of cyanide. Most of the cassava that you’ll find in the United States is the sweet variety.
When you soak and cook cassava, whether the bitter or sweet variety, the harmful compounds are neutralized.
You can eat cassava in numerous different ways. From bread and cake made with cassava flour to french fries and cassava mash, it’s a versatile veggie to add to your shopping list.
How to Prepare Cassava
Before you dive into using cassava recipes you should know how to properly prepare the vegetable so you gain the full benefits. Firstly, you should always peel the cassava root. Cut the root into three segments and stand it vertically. Then, use a knife to slice the edges vertically to remove the skin completely.
Next, cut out the core by standing the segments and cutting lengthwise in half so that the root is now quartered into sticks. Cut out the woody core in each ‘stick and discard it.
You can now prepare it in the method of your choosing. If you’re brainstorming ideas, think about how you prepare potatoes. Steaming, boiling, baking, mashing, frying, and roasting work very well.
Using Cassava Recipes
When you start out cooking with cassava it may seem intimidating. Stick to simple recipes such as mashed cassava with butter and garlic, or cassava french fries.
As you become more comfortable cooking with the starchy cassava root you can dip your toes into more adventurous recipes.
You may like to try cassava cake dipped in coconut milk or yuca con mojo, a typical Cuban dish with citrus juices and cassava.
For an unusual meal, try the African cassava leaf soup. The options are endless.
And if you’re gluten-free or just want to be healthier, what better way to enjoy the baked goods you love so much by baking with cassava flour?
Are You Ready to Experiment With Cassava?
Are you still wondering, “what is cassava?” Hopefully not! Now you know it’s a super nutritious, tubular veggie that is fantastic for people who follow paleo and gluten-free diets. Are you ready to start experimenting with delicious cassava recipes? From Caribbean-inspired cuisine to traditional African dishes and good ol’ American French fries — the sky is the limit.
Say goodbye to stodgy gluten-free baking with top-quality cassava flour from Jeb Foods. And if you need some unusual ingredients to try out a bunch of unique cassava recipes, don’t hesitate to visit our shop where you’ll find a range of all-natural African food products.
