What is Cassava? How To Make it (Ugandan Style)

Cassava is an amazing starch that we learned to love and make, while living in Uganda. We would eat them for breakfast many-a-mornings and top it with an avocado dip along with a side of mango or passion fruit juice and beans.

You may have seen cassava flour in the grocery store. It can be quite expensive in the United States. We were spoiled in Uganda...it was only $1.00 for a 2 lb. bag. We got very good at using it to make tortillas and many other foods.

Cassava is a root vegetable. It can be found at Sprouts (usually) and other ethnic markets. Cassava isn't too expensive when you buy it fresh.

It's fairly high in vitamin C and potassium.

It is considered a resistant starch:

Resistant starches are food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut and may help reduce inflammation and promote digestive health. It has also been studied for its ability to improve metabolic health and reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. It is known for improving blood sugar, and it makes you feel full (much like other starches). These benefits are for fresh cassava though, not cassava flour.

It has kind of a nutty flavor. It's super yummy though and we highly recommend trying it :) If you try it, let us know how you like it. This would be great as a filler with most anything. It can complement any meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner as well.

In the United States, cassava comes with a wax coating on the outside. In Uganda, we would buy it fresh and have it soaking in a bucket of filtered water until we were ready to eat it. This kept it fresh longer.

To make it:

Ingredients:

Cassava (desired amount)
Avocado oil or Coconut Oil (2 cups)
Salt

Steps:

Use a knife and cut the cassava down the middle about a 1/2 cm and twist the knife back and forth a few times to loosen the outer peel from the inside. You do not eat the outer peel...that is the part of the cassava that contains most of the toxins, if it has absorbed any toxins in the soil.
Use your hands to peel the cassava, kind of like you are peeling an orange.
Once it is peeled, slice it in strips, like you would to make fries. (see pictures)
Add about 2 cups of avocado oil or coconut oil to the pan
Set the temperature on the stove to medium. Let it get hot before putting the cassava in the pan.
Once hot: Add only the amount of cassava that will be immersed in the oil.
Cook until it is golden brown and soft
Add salt to taste
Optional: Make an avocado dip to dip it in