Preparing Cassava for home cooking is simply easy. But, precautions must be taken since, in its simplest and purest form, it contains cyanide.
In general, the cassava root vegetable is affiliated to several medical and health benefits. Not to mention, cassava is widely being consumed in developing countries.
It provides some important nutrients and resistant starch, which may have beneficial effects on the body.
On one hand, it is grown in tropical regions of the world because of its ability to withstand difficult growing conditions. In fact, it’s one of the most drought-tolerant crops.
On the other hand, cassava can have dangerous effects, especially if it is eaten raw and in large amounts. To enumerate, raw cassava contains cyanide, which is toxic to ingest, so it is vital to prepare it correctly.
Preparing Cassava Safely
Due to its cyanide content, people must cook cassava very carefully. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) recommend taking the following steps:
- peeling the cassava root and slicing it
- boiling, baking, roasting, or frying it until it is tender and very well-cooked
- discarding any cooking water
People should also follow these steps when using frozen cassava.
Processed cassava products, such as tapioca pearls and cassava flour, are safe to use without any precooking.
Preparing Cassava Tapioca or Garri
- Garin Dawa (guinea corn flour),
- Garin masara (maize flour),
- and Garin sukkhari (sugar), and particularly fried tapioca.
It can also be used for ground substances, as in Garin Magani (powdery medicine).
For your information, types of flour foodstuffs mixed with water used to be a major part of the diet in the Hausa lands. And almost all parts of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Liberia mainly Nigeria for many centuries.
In addition, they were used by travelers in particular, who were often unable to carry cooked meals. Traveling on horseback or donkeys and trekking took a very long time and so required readily-available fast food.
On the following link, please learn more about Garri.
In general, Tapioca is almost pure starch extracted from the root, a tuber native to South America. It consists of almost pure carbs and contains very little protein, fiber or nutrients.
Tapioca has become popular recently as a gluten-free alternative to wheat and other grains. Above all, the root is relatively easy to grow. And a dietary staple in several countries in Africa, Asia, and South America too.
Learn more about: What Is Tapioca and What Is It Good For?