My Favourite Food - Tapioca

If asked to name one favourite food, it is difficult for many to answer at once, because there would be a number of foods in the priority list. But, if given a chance to name one, everyone will be in a dilemma. But for the sake of naming one, I will definitely mention my favourite food as boiled tapioca mixed with masala powder, in a semi-roasted state. Such a dish, if taken along with hot strong black coffee will be a good treat to our tongue and soul, I believe. Chips made out of tapioca are available in small kirana shops as well as shopping malls, which are in high demand like potato chips. 

I remember the day as a child, when I came home on a rainy day afternoon, walking in rains without an umbrella after my hair cut. There was a heavy rush at the hair-cutting-saloon on the day and it took two hours or more for getting my hair trimmed in good shape. As soon as I arrived home, I was hungry enough to eat anything I get in my hand. To my surprise, my mother had prepared the masala-mixed boiled tapioca, a few minutes back. Sooner I started eating my favourite dish; she served me a hot strong black coffee also, which was sumptuous enough for the rest of the day. It felt tastier than the usual stuff, I used to eat. I was very happy to eat my favourite dish after a gap of so many days. Given an opportunity, I still prefer to eat the same dish, but the non-availability of fresh roots forces me to choose some other food from my favourite list.

A brief history:

Tapioca is the roots of cassava plant, which is a species, native of Brazil. With the arrival of Portuguese, in India, its cultivation mostly remained in South India, some South East Asian countries and Sri Lanka. It is rich in carbohydrates, but less in protein and is the staple food mostly among the poor, though its cultivation is drastically reduced in the recent years, with the advent of other cash-rich crops, in its place.

Recipe:

Pluck the roots of tapioca afresh, if it is available in your field or buy fresh ones from the markets, where it is available. Ensure that it is quite fresh; otherwise, the dish prepared will not have the desired taste. Once you see the cross-section of the root, you can determine whether it is fresh or old. It will be pure white in colour, if fresh. It will turn into light blue or black with the passage of time. Wash it thoroughly with normal water. Select the quantity you require depending on the number of members in the family. Remove the brown coloured thick skin with a knife. Wash it again under running water, till you are sure that it is completely free from mud and dirt. Cut into uneven pieces, of almost the same size, add sufficient water, a little turmeric powder and boil it in a pressure cooker or in a vessel with a tight lid for ten minutes or until three whistles are blown, if cooked in a pressure cooker. Take out a clean dry frying pan, put some edible oil, preferably coconut oil, and heat it for a few seconds. Add some curry leaves, cleaned ginger pieces in small quantity, small pieces of cut green-chilies, a few chopped onions (small ones ) and some mustard seeds. Fry it till it turns to brown colour, and the mustard seeds brake, reduce the flame and pour the boiled tapioca solution to the frying pan; add some powdered salt and masala powder (preferably sambar powder). Stir it for five minutes and ensure that mixture is in a semi-liquid form. Pour the entire stuff to a clean vessel. The dish is ready to serve. Keep ready a hot strong coffee alongside.

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