Herb. No. 236 · Euphorbiaceae
Amazonian origin; a staple of Africa and tropical Asia after the Columbian exchange.
Native · South America
Cassava
Manihot esculenta
Fruit & vegetableHarvestLookalikes
Yuca — a tropical spurge whose root feeds hundreds of millions once it is peeled and cooked, and a poison if you treat it like an apple.
Cassava is a South American euphorbia, the staple called yuca, manioc, or tapioca depending on the kitchen. Traditional use is as a peeled, cooked (and for bitter types, soaked, grated, or fermented) starch. Culinary prepared root is the path. Sweet types still want peeling and thorough cooking. Bitter types are a processing tradition, not a backyard raw snack. Tapioca pearls are this starch. Raw juice is not a cleanse.
Flavor
Cooked: mild, slightly sweet starch, a little latex at the edge. Fried is the best argument.
Parts used
Prepared root, cooked
Helpful
- A true calorie crop in poor soils and drought
- Tapioca and fries
Cautions
- Raw is dangerous
- Bitter types need a real process
- Not a temperate staple