Try Cassava Bread For The Taste Of The Caribbean
>> Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Throughout the world, people eat bread as a quick and easy staple food. It doesn't always come in the form of a loaf made of wheat flour, however. In Turkey, Greece and the countries of the Levant, for instance, people often eat flat pita breads while in Central America and Mexico, no meal is served without tortillas as accompaniment. The Caribbean's favorite is cassava bread, which is often referred to as 'pan de casabe'.
The cassava plant is native to the Caribbean region as well as to the northern parts of South America. It produces a large root, which has a diameter of between one and two inches and a length of up to twelve inches. If you remove the rough, brown skin covering the root, you'll find a white or yellowish flesh that is rich in starch.
The Carib and Arawak people started eating cassava long before the European explorers 'discovered' the Americas. By the time that Columbus and others came to the region, it was a staple food in Central America and even in parts of South America as well. The explorers took the foods of the New World with them to Spain and Portugal and from there to their colonies in Africa and Asia and while tomatoes and corn spread throughout the world, cassava became popular mainly in the tropics. Today it's a staple in West Africa too.
There are many ways to eat 'pan de casabe'. Some people go all out and cover it with cheese to make a pizza with a Caribbean flavor. It's great to use as croutons to give substance to soups or crunch to salads and it goes very well with dips too. More traditional is to top it with eggs, avocado or beans and eat it like you would eat tortillas. You can also keep it simple by adding only a little bit of salt and a dash of olive oil.
Like most starches, the root is a great source of energy-giving carbohydrates. It's a healthy choice too because it contains only small amounts of fat and sodium. At the same time it's rich in Vitamin C as well as the minerals calcium and phosphorus.
Making 'pan de casabe' requires that you first process the flesh. Start by peeling the root and then grating the flesh to a pulp. The next step is to squeeze out as much of the liquid from the pulp as you can. This is a very important step because the liquid is poisonous.
You can now add salt to the pulp if you want. Take handfuls of pulp and shape them into patties. You may also use a mold that was designed specifically for this purpose. Heat a frying pan and, without adding oil, cook the patties until they're golden on either side. As the flatbreads cool, they will become crispy.
Cassava bread is available online but is a little more difficult to find in local stores. Specialty stores may stock it and you'll likely find it in neighborhoods with a large Dominican or Jamaican population. Another option is to simply take some time off, buy a ticket to the Caribbean and enjoy it right there on the beach.
The cassava plant is native to the Caribbean region as well as to the northern parts of South America. It produces a large root, which has a diameter of between one and two inches and a length of up to twelve inches. If you remove the rough, brown skin covering the root, you'll find a white or yellowish flesh that is rich in starch.
The Carib and Arawak people started eating cassava long before the European explorers 'discovered' the Americas. By the time that Columbus and others came to the region, it was a staple food in Central America and even in parts of South America as well. The explorers took the foods of the New World with them to Spain and Portugal and from there to their colonies in Africa and Asia and while tomatoes and corn spread throughout the world, cassava became popular mainly in the tropics. Today it's a staple in West Africa too.
There are many ways to eat 'pan de casabe'. Some people go all out and cover it with cheese to make a pizza with a Caribbean flavor. It's great to use as croutons to give substance to soups or crunch to salads and it goes very well with dips too. More traditional is to top it with eggs, avocado or beans and eat it like you would eat tortillas. You can also keep it simple by adding only a little bit of salt and a dash of olive oil.
Like most starches, the root is a great source of energy-giving carbohydrates. It's a healthy choice too because it contains only small amounts of fat and sodium. At the same time it's rich in Vitamin C as well as the minerals calcium and phosphorus.
Making 'pan de casabe' requires that you first process the flesh. Start by peeling the root and then grating the flesh to a pulp. The next step is to squeeze out as much of the liquid from the pulp as you can. This is a very important step because the liquid is poisonous.
You can now add salt to the pulp if you want. Take handfuls of pulp and shape them into patties. You may also use a mold that was designed specifically for this purpose. Heat a frying pan and, without adding oil, cook the patties until they're golden on either side. As the flatbreads cool, they will become crispy.
Cassava bread is available online but is a little more difficult to find in local stores. Specialty stores may stock it and you'll likely find it in neighborhoods with a large Dominican or Jamaican population. Another option is to simply take some time off, buy a ticket to the Caribbean and enjoy it right there on the beach.
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