Cassava is a tuberous root native to South America, grown in many tropical regions of the world . It is an important source of carbohydrates and is consumed in various forms: boiled, fried, mashed or made into flour. Cassava is naturally gluten-free, making it an ingredient of choice for people with gluten intolerance or following a gluten-free diet.
There are two types of cassava: sweet cassava, which can be consumed after cooking, and bitter cassava, which requires special treatment to eliminate its toxic compounds (cyanide). Cassava flour is used to prepare breads, cakes, or even traditional dishes such as fufu in Africa or tapioca , a by-product of cassava.
It is also known as:
- Cassava : used in English-speaking countries.
- Yuca : term used in Latin America and Spanish-speaking countries.
- Mandioca : in Portuguese, especially in Brazil.
- Tapioca : often used to refer to pearls or starch extracted from cassava.
- Gari : name given in West Africa to fermented and roasted cassava flour.
- Kassav : used in certain regions of the Antilles.
