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Cassava

Cassava, also called yuca, manioc, mandioca, and aipim, is a tuberous root about two inches in diameter and ten inches long. The outside skin of the cassava is brown and bark-like; the inside flesh is very white. Cassava is in the Spurge family, Euphorbiaceae; the castor bean and castor oil are also in this family. All tapioca products are derived from cassava. There are about 1550 calories in one pound of cassava flour; the number of calories in tapioca pearls is higher because the fiber has been removed.

The composition of our cassava flour is approximately; 80.4% carbohydrates, 1.7% protein, 1.6% fat, 12% fiber, 0.1% water, and 4.2% minerals. Cassava flour is raw, not roasted flour, and it does not require cooking or roasting before use. Raw cassava tubers, however, must be cooked before eating.

Cassava flour can be used to make cookies, quick breads, loaf breads, pancakes, doughnuts, dumplings, muffins, bagels, and so forth. All recipes are made without wheat or other grains, without yeast, and without milk, eggs, or sugar. The flour is an excellent thickener for gravies, soups, stews, and sauces. Our cassava flour for instant mashed potatoes is a cooked flour. Cassava flour and pasta are both very white. The pasta looks and tastes much like regular wheat noodles when cooked. Cassava pasta does not increase in size dramatically like tapioca, because the fiber has not been removed.