A.K.A. cassava, manioc, or that root vegetable from which tapioca is made. Tapioca is a gluten-free boon! You find tapioca and potato starch in gf flours, desserts and countless foods. “Gluten-free” can be accomplished many many ways… yuca/cassava/tapioca is one tool that may prove immensely useful in a well-rounded gluten-free diet.
However, you don’t have to be gluten free to eat and enjoy yuca. It is a whole food, with a very mild taste that is the same whether you are gf or not. There is some nutritive value in yuca. It contains some minerals, and B-vitamins. It is low in fat and protein, although it contains more protein than a potato.
Important! Never eat Yuca raw! It is toxic, especially bitter yuca (aka cassava, manioc). It is rendered safe through removal of its juices (or gasses in the juice), by soaking, fermenting, thoroughly cooking, and/or drying. When you buy tapioca flours, or African products such as garri, fufu, apu, and pupuru, this has been done for you.
You can learn more about the plant at Cassava365. Currently, I am more interested in exploring what you can do with this in your kitchen!
Making Yuca Dough
For a simple and immensely versatile kitchen staple, you can turn this tough starchy root vegetable into a very useful dough! Then you can use the dough make little chips, vessels, wraps… whatever you want! This dough may even have the power to turn your superfoods into fun bites!
First, peel and chop the yuca root. I use a sharp pairing knife. Cut the pieces to a uniform size for even cooking.
Steam or boil chopped yuca until it is fork tender.
When it is tender, it is ready to be mashed or processed.
In a food processor, puree until you have a fairly smooth dough. This takes only a couple of minutes. Pulse and scrape down the sides as needed.
This dough is very sticky! Scoop it out of the processor and into a bowl. After it sits for a bit, it will become much less sticky and so much more easy to manipulate.
I use this resting time to clean up my processor. …just cuz it makes me happy to have a clean processor. 🙂
You can use your dough right away. Or cover and refrigerate it to use it later.
If your dough has been in the fridge, let it rest for a few minutes at room temperature before shaping and using it. It will not fight with you so much.
Now that you have dough, you can roll it thin, and fold, wrap and envelop things in it for endless gluten-free meals and snacks.
Check out this Sunbrat Roulade. Yum!
Enjoy!
Important! Never eat Yuca raw! It is toxic, especially bitter yuca (aka cassava, manioc). It is rendered safe through removal of its juices (or gasses in the juice), by soaking, fermenting, thoroughly cooking, and/or drying. When you buy tapioca flours, or African products such as garri, fufu, apu, and pupuru, this has been done for you.
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