Many believe, hearing the name "cassava", that this is such an unknown natural phenomenon or, possibly, some object. To properly understand this issue, you need to turn to history and return a few centuries ago.
Detailed description
Nowadays, few have heard of cassava. Some still do not even suspect its existence. The first official data on this product appeared in the 16th century. True, then they only knew about the cassava, that this is such a tree with edible roots.
Now there is much more information about him. Experts studied not only the places of its distribution, but also the structure, chemical composition, properties and practical application. It turned out a lot of interesting things. What do biologists say about cassava? What is it really? It turns out that this is a rather unusual tropical plant. It belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae and is an evergreen shrub. Interestingly, it grows very quickly and can reach a height of up to three meters. The most important part of this culture is the root. As a rule, it is quite powerful and can sometimes reach a diameter of 8 centimeters. It is he who is used in food after special processing. In addition, the plant has amazing properties. Someone even thinks, talking about cassava, that this is a medicine that helps lower cholesterol and normalize heart function. It also improves the functioning of the stomach, intestines and nervous system. And because of the high content of folic acid, it allows expectant mothers to guarantee the absence of birth defects in children.
Culinary application
What kind of cassava dishes can be cooked? The easiest option is fritters. Making them easy. You only need a couple pounds of root plants, a tablespoon of sugar, 60 grams of milk, a small piece of butter, 5 grams of salt and 2 pinches of anise seeds.
The process itself resembles the preparation of fritters from zucchini or potatoes.
- First, cassava needs to be ground on a grater.
- Add the remaining ingredients according to the recipe and knead a homogeneous dough.
- Spread the mass in a pan with a tablespoon and fry in hot oil.
Such ruddy mini-pancakes can be eaten as a full-fledged independent dish or used as a side dish. Since the initial product contains a lot of starch, it is often used for the manufacture of flour. And then you can bake anything from it. Residents of Africa, Asia and Latin America have long been accustomed to making various cakes from cassava, and adding wheat flour, even baking bread.
Appearance
Only residents of tropical regions can boast that they saw with their own eyes how cassava grows. A photo will help others get a clear picture and understand what kind of plant it is.
A young plant is a few stems united by one root system. There are not very many of them, so such a bush can not be called particularly branched. Over time, the stem, located in the center, becomes denser, and its structure begins to resemble ordinary wood. On the branches along the entire length, thickenings are noticeable, from which leaves later appear. They are a fan of 3-7 plates. This structure creates a lush lace crown. From the side, the trees look very beautiful. Over time, white flowers with a slightly yellowish tint appear on the branches. Unlike other plants, in cassava they do not participate in the process of reproduction. From these bright bouquets, you can only determine whether the roots are ready for harvest. It is their customary to use for food. Usually the root system of these shrubs is well developed. The length of a single root can reach one meter.
Fancy recipes
What else is cassava suitable for? Recipes can be very different. It all depends on the nationality of the cook. Very often, chef recipes use cereals made from raw root called tapioca. For example, cheese rolls are very popular in Brazil.
For their preparation you need: 380 grams of tapioca, 2 eggs, 250 grams of butter and fresh milk, a little salt and cassava starch. They are made very simple.
- Place milk and butter in a pan and put on fire.
- After boiling, remove it from the stove and pour tapioca into the hot mixture. You need to let her stand for a while so that the flour can swell.
- Add beaten eggs, grated cheese and knead the dough. During whipping, you need to add a little starch.
- Form balls from the resulting mass.
- Lay them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprinkle lightly with the remaining cheese.
- Semi-finished products sent to the oven for 25 minutes. It is better to bring the temperature to 180 degrees in advance.
It’s better to eat such fragrant buns even warm.