Enjoy The Taste Of The Caribbean With Cassava Bread

Enjoy The Taste Of The Caribbean With Cassava Bread

by Judy Sullivan

One form of food that is eaten all over the world is bread. You may not always recognize it as such, but whether it's the pitas of the Mediterranean region, the naan of India or the tortillas of Latin America, it's still bread, one of the most versatile foods there is. Next time you want to prepare a simple yet exotic meal, add some cassava bread for a Caribbean touch.

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 starchy flesh of the root has been a staple food in the Caribbean, Central America and parts of South America for many centuries. When the Portuguese and Spanish explorers came to the region, they took some of the so-called New World foods back to Europe. These included corn, tomatoes and potatoes. Cassava found its way across the Atlantic too and became a staple food in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia, where its production now surpasses that in the Americas.

'Pan de casabe' is still very much a Caribbean food, however. It's synonymous with Dominican cuisine, for instance. It's usually eaten in the form of a flatbread, similar to a tortilla. Enjoy it with toppings like avocado, eggs, beans or vegetables or simply sprinkle it with salt and olive oil. Toast it to make croutons, eat it with dips like you would eat nacho chips or smother it in melted cheese for a new take on pizza.

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.

It may be a little labor-intensive to make 'pan de casabe' but the process is really very easy. Remove the skin from the root. Then finely grate the flesh. Now comes the important part: Take the pup and squeeze out the poisonous liquid.

The pulp is now shaped into thin patties. Some people add salt to the pulp first. You can shape the patties by hand or use a special mold instead. When they're ready, place them in a hot frying pan but don't add oil. Let them cook on both sides until they're golden in color. The breads harden to become crispy when they cool.

<A href="http://yucasabe.com">Cassava bread</A> 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.



<a href="http://yucasabe.com">Read more about</a> Enjoy The Taste Of The Caribbean With Cassava Bread visiting our website.

---------------------------------------------------
You are receiving this because you signed up for it on 2013-07-23 from IP 197.206.251.134
To fine-tune your selection of which articles to receive, just login here:

http://www.uniquearticlewizard.com/bloggers/

using your username:

To unsubscribe please use the following link:

http://www.uniquearticlewizard.com/unsubscribe.php?mail=maxblogmax.madani@blogger.com&code=16554a6308a09067f2e4e4003fca1ea3
---------------------------------------------------