Bread is probably the most important staple food in the world. There are many different types of bread, from the wheat or rye based loaves of Europe to Indian naan and the tortillas so ubiquitous in Latin American cuisine. For a taste of the Caribbean, you may want to casabe. This is a staple in countries like Jamaica and the Dominican Republic and is a type of flatbread made of cassava.
The cassava plant originated in the northern parts of South America and the islands of the Caribbean. It is used mainly for its starchy root. This root is long and thin, almost like a sweet potato, with a roughly-textured brown skin covering the inner flesh, which can be whitish or yellowish in color.
The first people to have cultivated cassava may have done so about twelve thousand years ago in the western parts of modern-day Brazil. By the time the Spanish arrived in the Americas, the root was a staple food in the northern parts of South America, throughout Central America and also in the Caribbean. The Portuguese took this plant as well as another staple food from the region, maize, to Africa where these two foods soon became the two most important crops. Today cassava is known throughout the tropics and its production in Africa and Asia surpasses that in Latin America.
With its starchy texture, cassava root is rich in carbohydrates. It's also a good source of Vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus. Since it's low in sodium and fat, it's a good choice if you're looking for a healthy source of carbs.
The original inhabitants of the Caribbean region, the Carib and Arawak people, used cassava to make a flatbread hundreds of years ago and their descendants still enjoy this staple to this day. If you can get your hands on some cassava root and want to try making your own bread, you should first peel the root and then grate it into a pulp. Next, press out all the liquid, which is poisonous.
You may add salt, but it's not really necessary. In a heated frying pan, form rounded flat shapes with the grated pulp. Alternatively, use special molds. You don't need to add oil. Simply cook the cassava in the dry pan until the breads are golden on either side. If they cool down, they get a cracker-like texture.
Many people enjoy the bread by simply sprinkling it with a little salt and olive oil. Others add eggs, avocado or other toppings, almost like a tostada. Use it with dips like guacamole or add it to soups instead of croutons. You may even want to experiment with the bread as a type of pizza base.
Cassava root is quite hard to find unless you're in the tropics. You may find it easier to buy ready-made casabe instead. Latin or Caribbean specialty stores may stock it or you can order it online. Of course, you may simply decide that the search for this versatile bread is just the excuse you need to go on a Caribbean vacation.
The cassava plant originated in the northern parts of South America and the islands of the Caribbean. It is used mainly for its starchy root. This root is long and thin, almost like a sweet potato, with a roughly-textured brown skin covering the inner flesh, which can be whitish or yellowish in color.
The first people to have cultivated cassava may have done so about twelve thousand years ago in the western parts of modern-day Brazil. By the time the Spanish arrived in the Americas, the root was a staple food in the northern parts of South America, throughout Central America and also in the Caribbean. The Portuguese took this plant as well as another staple food from the region, maize, to Africa where these two foods soon became the two most important crops. Today cassava is known throughout the tropics and its production in Africa and Asia surpasses that in Latin America.
With its starchy texture, cassava root is rich in carbohydrates. It's also a good source of Vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus. Since it's low in sodium and fat, it's a good choice if you're looking for a healthy source of carbs.
The original inhabitants of the Caribbean region, the Carib and Arawak people, used cassava to make a flatbread hundreds of years ago and their descendants still enjoy this staple to this day. If you can get your hands on some cassava root and want to try making your own bread, you should first peel the root and then grate it into a pulp. Next, press out all the liquid, which is poisonous.
You may add salt, but it's not really necessary. In a heated frying pan, form rounded flat shapes with the grated pulp. Alternatively, use special molds. You don't need to add oil. Simply cook the cassava in the dry pan until the breads are golden on either side. If they cool down, they get a cracker-like texture.
Many people enjoy the bread by simply sprinkling it with a little salt and olive oil. Others add eggs, avocado or other toppings, almost like a tostada. Use it with dips like guacamole or add it to soups instead of croutons. You may even want to experiment with the bread as a type of pizza base.
Cassava root is quite hard to find unless you're in the tropics. You may find it easier to buy ready-made casabe instead. Latin or Caribbean specialty stores may stock it or you can order it online. Of course, you may simply decide that the search for this versatile bread is just the excuse you need to go on a Caribbean vacation.
About the Author:
You can visit the website yucasabe.com for more helpful information about Enjoy The Taste Of The Caribbean With Casabe
0 comments:
Post a Comment