Cassava—a Brazilian root of many names and nutritional uses
What do bubble tea, tapioca pudding, and those addictive little cheese bread nuggets served in Brazilian steakhouses have in common? Cassava.
Cassava is often referred to as tapioca. The plant is native to Brazil but was spread around the world by the Portuguese. The word tapioca is borrowed from the language of Brazil’s indigenous Tupi-Guarani people, who cultivated cassava and used it as a main food source. Cassava root, also known as yuca in Spanish-speaking Latin America, is ubiquitous in Brazil. It has various names depending on the area of the country: aipim, macaxeira, maniveira, mandioca, pão-de-pobre (poor people’s bread). It is a staple crop in much of the African continent and parts of South Asia. The plant can grow up to 5 meters in height and the average weight is two to four kilograms; it tolerates poor soils and is drought resistant.
The starchy root is high in Vitamin C and copper and contains smaller amounts of other vitamins and minerals. Cassava is rich in resistant starch, an important source of fiber that improves gut health by promoting beneficial bacteria in the individual microbiome. It is relatively high in calories, with more than twice that of sweet potatoes per serving. Granulated or flour versions have fewer nutrients due to processing.
The root must be cooked to remove cyanide-like compounds, which are present to the greatest degree in the wild variety. Subjecting the tuber to heat allows these volatile compounds to be released, making it safe to consume. Eating protein in the same meal as cassava helps the body to release remaining toxic cyanide compounds.
Cassava root is served boiled, roasted, or boiled then fried or pureed. It can be sliced paper thin and deep fried, resulting in crispy pieces much like potato chips (crisps in the UK). It is also granulated or made into flour that is gluten-free. Here are just a few of the dishes that use this versatile tuber.
Bubble tea is not Brazilian; it was created and became popular in Taiwan in the 1980s, before the recent North American craze. In this case, cassava is made into chewy tapioca balls that float in black tea. Usually served cold, it can also be served as a hot drink.
A Brazilian breakfast dish that originated in the country’s Northeast region, tapioca is made with finely grated cassava which is moistened and sauteed in a frying pan in circular form, then folded over to look much like an omelet. It can be made with grated coconut, fresh cheese, or other fillings such as bananas. Find a recipe for coconut tapioca here.
Pãozinhos de queijo, translated as “little cheese breads,” are ubiquitous appetizers in Brazilian steakhouses in the United States and elsewhere. Ingredients are polvilho doce, the sweet form of cassava flour (there is an “acid” version which is made by fermentation), eggs, baking powder, salt, oil, and grated parmesan cheese. Pãozinhos de queijo originated in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, but they are commonly served in every region. One of my husband's uncles is a preacher who visits people’s homes as part of his ministry and is nearly always served pãozinhos de queijo. “I really get sick of them!” he told me. The rest of us find them to be a treat anytime. Some entrepreneurial Brazilian friends in North Carolina began manufacturing them and selling them in the frozen section of grocery stores twenty years ago. Their product is great, though “cheenies” is a bit of an odd name. Here is a traditional Minas Gerais recipe to try at home.
There are so many dishes using cassava, and one of my favorites is pirão, a kind of polenta served as a side dish, and I love it with made with seafood broth and served alongside fish or shrimp.
Bolo de mandioca is a deliciously moist cake served in the evening with tea or coffee. Brazilians eat their main meal mid-day.
Bobó de camarão is shrimp stew made with cassava meal and coconut milk, fantastic!
Recipe blogger Denise Browning has a great review of cassava and a basic recipe for cooking with the root. In Windows, right click to open the dialog box and click “translate to English.”
And a final note, cassava leaves are particularly toxic and require hours of work to render them edible. The leaves are used in a typical dish of the Amazon basin Brazilian state of Pará, maniçoba. While working as a medical education consultant in Mozambique, I had the privilege of enjoying a dish called matapa, made of ground cassava leaves, garlic, onion, and coconut milk. The wonderful cook who made it for me added shrimp; cashew nuts or crab are other options. Absolutely delicious!
Tuber in hand: photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash