Recipes
Brazilian cassava fries mandioca frita

Brazilian cassava fries mandioca frita

Name: Brazilian cassava fries mandioca frita
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 800 g cassava; 1.5 l water; 0.5 l sunflower oil; 2 cloves garlic; 1 pc lime; salt; parsley

Eduard LáskaFriedBrazilian Cuisine x se líbilo

Mandioca frita is one of Brazil's best loved street snacks. It is sold on beaches and at markets. It scents every backyard barbecue. The root we call cassava stands in for potatoes across tropical America and carries a faintly sweet flavor. Parboiled pieces turn into a golden treat in the fryer. Inside they stay buttery soft. Outside they turn crisp. It is served with lime, garlic and a pinch of salt, and it shines as a side or a snack with a cold beer.

Příprava: 15min

Vaření: 25min

CELKOVÝ ČAS: 40min

Step by step process

Preparing the cassava

1
For the mandioca frita, peel the cassava with a sturdy knife, since the skin is tough and waxy. Cut it into finger thick fries. A hard woody fiber often runs through the center of the root, so remove it. Try to cut the pieces the same size so they cook evenly.

Parboiling

2
Drop the pieces into salted boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes. The cassava should soften but still hold its shape. Do not let it fall apart. Then drain it and spread it on a colander. Let it dry thoroughly and cool slightly, or the oil will spit during frying.

Frying

3
Heat the oil to 180 °C in a deep pot or fryer. Check the temperature with a thermometer if you like. Add the parboiled pieces in small batches so the oil stays hot. Do not crowd the pot. Fry them golden and crispy, about 4 minutes.
4
Lift the fried fries out with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel. The excess fat drains off and the surface stays crunchy.

Serving

5
Salt the finished fries right away, while they are hot. Press fresh garlic over them and scatter chopped parsley on top. Serve at once. The lime juice perfumes the whole plate.