Boiled Cassava (Kappa Puzhungiyathu)

If you have never tasted Cassava, I want you to taste this delicious but simple and down-to-earth food.

My earlier post about kappa dealt with the dried Cassava. This is about fresh Cassava, which is available almost everywhere in U.S even in small town U.S, because I think it is produced largely in South America.

There is a certain way to clean and boil kappa. Kitchenmate asked me a while ago, how to choose a good kappa.Very simple! Break the thin end of long kappa stick and view the white inside. If it is pure white without any brown or black spots, it is good kappa. Also, a good kappa will be very hard to touch.

The starchy part of kappa is covered with two type of skins. It has a very thin brown skin and a pinkish hard white skin. You have to remove both. Cut both ends of the kappa. Kappa has a head part which is very hard and you can’t cook it well. So cut off the head which looks and feels like a tree trunk. Cut off only one inch or so of the tail portion. Now dice into 5 inch pieces.
Then, take a good strong wide blade knife on your right hand, hold the kappa piece on your left hand and with a sudden vertical cutting action, force a straight line impression on the kappa skin. Now, peel the skin off by rotating the kappa on your left hand.
There you can see the hard peel. You peel both the skins at one go.Dice the piece into 5 or 6 long pieces.Add water so that all the pieces will be immersed completely. Do not cover. When the water boils, strain the water. This is very important. Whatever people tell you, do not miss this step. Do not!

Now add the same amount of water, some salt and boil it again until very very soft when you pierce it with a fork. The boiled pieces should feel like solid butter kept at room temperature about 10 minutes. Not very soft and not hard at all. Strain the water completely.Serve with Kaanthari Chutney, Fish Curry, Meat Curry or any curry you would serve with rice and yummmmm…you will become an addict instantly!This can be served as a light evening snack or even as lunch or dinner.