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Tapioca is an essentially flavourless starchy ingredient, or fecula, produced from treated and dried cassava (manioc) root and used in cooking. It is similar to sago and is commonly used to make a milky pudding similar to rice pudding. Purchased tapioca comprises many small white spheres each about 2 mm in diameter. These are not seeds, but rather reconstituted processed root. The processing concept is akin to the way that wheat is turned into pasta. Tapioca is a word derived from the Tupi-Guarani language of Brazil (from tipi meaning residue or dregs and ok to squeeze out). This refers to the process through which cassava (Manihot esculenta) is made edible. We should note, however, that as the word moved out of South America it came to refer to similar preparations made with other esculents: 'Tapioca' in Britain often refers to a rice pudding thickened with arrowroot, while in Asia the sap of the Sago palm is often part of its preparation.
Production and uses The cassava plant can have either red or green branches. The toxin found in the root of the red-branched variant is less harmful to humans than the green-branched variety. Therefore, while the root of the red-branched variant can be consumed directly, the root of the green-branched variant requires treatment to remove the toxin. It is processed into either fine dried flakes or, more commonly, small hard white spheres or "pearls" that are soaked before use. These spheres are a common ingredient in Southeast Asian desserts, in puddings such as tapioca pudding, and in Taiwanese drinks such as bubble tea where they provide a chewy contrast to the sweetness of the drink. Cassava flour (tapioca flour) is commonly used as a food thickener, and is also used as a binder in pharmaceutical tablets and natural paints. In Malaysia, fried tapioca crisps are one of the many selections found in the local snack kacang putih. A typical recipe for tapioca jelly can be made by washing 2 tablespoonfuls of tapioca, pouring a pint of water over it, and soaking for three hours. It is then placed over low heat and simmered until quite clear. If too thick, a little boiling water can be added. It can be sweetened with white sugar, flavored with coconut milk or a little wine, and eaten alone or with cream. In South and Southeast Asia (India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, Malaysia) tapioca pearls are known as Sabudana (Sagu). It is commonly used as a food while fasting among the Hindus in India. Also the pearls (sabudana) are used to make snacks. It is also thinly sliced in South India and made into wafers like salted potato wafers. In the South Indian state of Kerala, Cassava, often reffered to as tapioka in English, and kappa or kolly or maracheeni in Malyalam, is a staple food. Tapioka is called Chowwary in Malayalam. This is used to make a light porridge by adding milk or buttermilk, recommended for patients recovering from illness. During World War II's Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia, many refugees survived on tapioca. In Brazilian cuisine, tapioca is a dessert made by combining tapioca with shredded coconut. The tapioca is stirred, drained through a sieve, fried into a tortilla shape, and sprinkled with coconut. It is then filled with your choice of either "doce" (sweet) or "salgado" (salty) ingredients. Choices range from chocolate, bananas with condensed milk, chocolate with bananas, to various forms of meats. The ending result is folded much like a Mexican taco and served warm. | ||||||||
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