Cassava has been a regular component in the diet of Caribbean inhabitants for millennia. Following the introduction of deep-frying techniques by the Europeans, the same technique used for potatoes was eventually applied to cassava, as in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Cassava, peeled
- Salt, to taste
- Vegetable Oil (for deep frying)
How to Make It
- Preheat deep fryer to 370 degree F.
- After peeling the cassava root, slice it in half and then slice each half as thin as possible using an electric slicer (it is best to cut it this way to yield even pieces and to prevent a cut of this very dense root).
- Place the cassava slices in a container of ice water, and allow the cassava to sit in the ice bath for 30 minutes before using (this is a necessary step to draw out unwanted compounds from the root).
- Once the cassava has soaked for 30 minutes, strain the cassava chips in a colander and allow any excess water to drain off.
- Pat the cassava dry using a clean paper towel to ensure that they are not wet prior to being added to the fryer.
- Deep-fry the cassava chips in the fryer until they become crisp and slightly browned in the hot oil (they will not darken as much as potatoes, so don’t only use color as an indicator of doneness; they should be crisp but not very hard).
- As soon as the cassava chips are removed from the fryer, sprinkle them with salt and serve immediately.
