4 Brazilian cassava treats
Cassava, also known as manioc, is an edible root tuber. I’m seeing it more and more often in Dutch supermarkets, but it’s not yet very well known here. In Brazil, cassava is much better known and is eaten every day. When I lived in Brazil, I often ate it and used it in cooking. These are my favourite Brazilian delicacies made from cassava.
What is cassava?
Cassava, or manioc, is an edible root vegetable that is widely consumed in Africa and South America. It originates from my home country, Brazil. Archaeological finds even show that cassava has been cultivated in Brazil and Venezuela since 3000 BC. Following the discovery of the American continent, the Portuguese spread the tuber to Africa and South-East Asia. The taste of cassava is difficult to describe. It’s similar to that of a potato, but with a stronger flavour. It’s fibrous and nutritious. I can still remember from my childhood that our gardener would sometimes turn up with a gigantic cassava root from his own garden, over a metre long. He proudly handed it to my mother, who could already see what was coming; we were going to be eating cassava – or ‘mandioca’, as it’s called in southern Brazil – yet again. Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can make with mandioca.
Fried Cassava
My favourite way to eat cassava is as ‘mandioca frita’, or deep-fried cassava. To make this, you first peel the tuber and then cut it into smaller pieces. These pieces need to be boiled and then deep-fried. Delicious as a side dish or a snack. You could actually think of it as the Brazilian version of chips.
Biscoito de Polvilho
This Brazilian snack, a variation on crisps, is eaten mainly in the south-west and north-east of the country. The origins of this snack are unknown, but it appears to have been made since the Portuguese colonisation by the cooks at the fazendas (farms) in the state of Minas Gerais, a region steeped in colonial history. The basic ingredients for this snack are water, milk, oil and cassava flour. This popular snack is sold in every supermarket, but anyone who has ever been to Rio de Janeiro will surely have come across the ‘biscoito de polvilho’ on the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. The flavour of this biscoito de polvilho is quite light; it’s not called biscoito de vento – or ‘wind biscuit’ – for nothing.
Pão de Queijo
This delicious bread roll is definitely one of the things I miss most now that I live here in the Netherlands. Whenever I go back to Brazil, I often find myself looking for a delicious pão de queijo as soon as I arrive at the airport. There’s even a chain called ‘Casa do Pão de Queijo’, which means ‘house of the pão de queijo’. Literally translated, pão de queijo means ‘cheese roll’, but it’s nothing like the cheese rolls we’re familiar with in the Netherlands. Although pão de queijo is a popular snack in Brazil, few Brazilians realise that it originates from the state of Minas Gerais, known, amongst other things, for its colonial heritage, with towns such as Ouro Preto and Tiradentes. In this state, the recipe has been passed down through several generations. Consequently, there are several variations on this dish. One story goes that the dish originated when someone grated an old piece of cheese and, by mixing it with cassava flour, made bread out of it for the following day. Others believe that pão de queijo originated as a variation of biscoito de polvilho, which is also made from cassava flour. The addition of cheese turned pão de queijo into a softer version of biscoito de polvilho. In Brazil, you’ll often find pão de queijo served for breakfast in hotels, in some restaurants and bars, and in bakeries. Of course, you can also make it yourself.
Recipe for Pão de Queijo
To make around 20 rolls, you will need:
- 240 ml milk;
- 120 ml oil;
- 260 grams of tapioca (very fine cassava flour, available from health food shops and Toko, amongst other places);
- 1 tsp salt;
- 2 eggs;
- 90 grams of grated mature or Parmesan cheese.
Method:
Bring the milk, oil and salt to the boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat as soon as the mixture comes to the boil and add the cassava flour (tapioca). Mix everything together well until you have a smooth batter. Leave this to cool, then add the eggs one by one, along with the cheese, and knead the mixture thoroughly. Shape the mixture into balls of about 2 cm and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake the buns for about 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees until they are golden brown. A pão de queijo tastes best when it’s fresh out of the oven!
Tapioca
In recent years, thanks to the trend towards healthy eating, this dish has been in the spotlight on several occasions. It is a kind of crêpe, made from – you’ve guessed it – cassava flour. It is considered a relatively healthy dish as it contains no fat, no gluten and very little salt. It is also fairly simple to make. Tapioca crêpes originate from the north and north-east of Brazil. The dish originated there during the Portuguese colonial period as a substitute for bread. At that time, there was a shortage of wheat flour, whilst cassava was widely available. Tapioca crêpes are available in a variety of flavours: sweet, savoury and with various fillings. These include chocolate, banana, ham and cheese – and pretty much anything else you can think of.
Ingredients (for 1 crêpe):
- 2–3 tablespoons of tapioca flour;
- 25ml water;
- filling of your choice.
Here’s how to make it:
Mix the tapioca and water thoroughly in a mixing bowl until the mixture no longer sticks. Next, sieve the mixture through a coarse sieve. Take a frying pan with a good non-stick coating and place it over a high heat. Pour the sieved mixture into the pan and press it flat with a ladle. Leave it to cook for a moment until the mixture sticks together well, then flip it over and cook for a few more seconds on the other side. The crêpe is ready to be filled with ingredients of your choice. Roll up the crêpe and cut it in half – enjoy!
Fancy a trip of Brazil?
Which of the delicacies above appeals to you most? Brazil has many more delicious dishes and drinks, and the great thing is that every region has its own speciality. Would you like to go on a trip and really discover the culture? Then it’s great fun to take part in a cookery workshop. Learn how to make a caipirinha in Rio de Janeiro or cook a delicious fish in the Amazon. Would you like to find out more? Then do have a look at the tours we’ve put together for inspiration. You can book these tours directly, but we’d also be happy to put together a personalised itinerary based on your wishes and ideas.
Do you have an immediate question? Then feel free to contact us. Call +31 73 610 62 04 or send an e-mail to info@sapapanatravel.nl. We are happy to help.