Cassava (Manihot esculenta), a plant sometimes known as "yucca" or "manioc", often called the bread of the tropics, is a third largest source of carbohydrates for people around the world. All the carbohydrates come from its edible starchy root. This plant is believed to originally come from countries in South America (Brazil and Paraguay) and spreads all over the world.
There are two types of cassava according to its taste: the sweet and the bitter. This difference is caused by the different amount of cyanogenic glucosides in them. It is a poisonous substance naturally found in the root and leaves. Other poisonous substances it contains are linamarin and lotaustralin. These three substances will be converted by linamarase enzyme (natural enzyme found in cassava) into prussic acid or hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Due to these substances, cassava is not to be consumed raw.
One kilogram of sweet cassava contains around 20 mg cyanogenic glucoside. On the other hand, one kilogram bitter cassava contains cyanogenic glucoside up to 1 gram. Cassava planted during the dry season has the most amount of this toxin. Forty milligram of it can kill a cow. During the holocaust, hydrogen cyanide gas was used by Nazi Germany for mass murder in some gas chambers.
How to eliminate the toxin?
Cassava must be cooked properly to eliminate the toxin. Different cooking processes can wash away the toxin. Fermenting, boiling, frying, and soaking it in water are some ways to detoxify it.
Here is a healthy cassava recipe for breakfast or snack. This recipe is a modification to Thailand sweet cassava recipe.
For six portions
Ingredients:
- 500 grams of cassava
- 400 mL of water for boiling
- 50 grams of palm sugar
- 100 mL of orange juice
- 50 grams of instant oatmeal (finely ground)
- One teaspoon of salt
- 100 mL of water
How to make it:
- Peel the cassava. Cut it into pieces (5 cm long). Then cut those pieces into four. Wash them.
- Dissolve palm sugar into water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add cassava into it.
- After the amount of water is reduced, add orange juice into it. Stir slowly. Turn off the stove. Leave it for a while.
- To make the sauce, add oatmeal into water in a saucepan, stir slowly until boiling. Add a little salt.
- Pour the sauce onto cassava. Ready to serve.
Nutrition facts
- Energy: 199 calories
- Fat: 0.8 gram
- Carbohydrate: 45 grams
- Fibers: 2.4 grams
- Protein: 2.9 grams
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