Cassava Bread (Dominica Kalinago-Style Flatbread)
Local name: Cassava bread
In short: Crisp, mild flatbread of grated and sieved cassava baked on a hot griddle, a Kalinago tradition in Dominica. Naturally gluten-free and vegan. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 290 kcal
Cassava bread is one of the oldest foods of the island, made for centuries by the Kalinago people of Dominica. Grated cassava is squeezed dry, sieved into a coarse flour and baked on a hot griddle into a thin, crisp, mild-tasting flatbread. It is eaten with soup, stews or dips. The traditional bread uses bitter cassava, which needs careful processing, so this version uses sweet cassava (yuca) from any good market.
Instructions
- Cut each cassava root in half and remove the woody core from the center. Grate the flesh on the fine side of a box grater, or process in a food processor until finely shredded.
- Wrap the grated cassava in a clean kitchen towel, in two batches, and twist hard to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Discard the liquid.
- Rub the damp pulp through a coarse sieve with your fingers to break it up into fluffy, coarse crumbs. Mix in the salt.
- Heat a heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat, with no oil. Sprinkle about 1 cup of the cassava crumbs into an even layer about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick and 18 cm (7 inches) wide, and press it down lightly.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the underside is set and pale gold. Flip with a wide spatula and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, until firm with golden-brown flecks.
- Transfer to a rack and repeat with the remaining crumbs. The breads crisp as they cool. Serve with soup, stew or a dip.
Tips
- Squeeze the cassava thoroughly. Wet pulp turns gummy on the griddle instead of baking into a crisp bread.
- Never eat cassava raw. Always cook it through, and buy sweet cassava from a market rather than trying to process bitter cassava at home.
Questions and answers
Is cassava bread gluten-free?
Yes. It is made only of cassava and salt, so it contains no wheat, dairy or eggs.
How do you store cassava bread?
Keep the cooled breads in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Re-crisp them for a few minutes in a hot dry pan or low oven.
What do you eat with cassava bread?
In Dominica it is eaten with soups and stews. It also works like a cracker with avocado or dips.
How long does it take to make Cassava Bread (Dominica Kalinago-Style Flatbread)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 35 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Cassava Bread (Dominica Kalinago-Style Flatbread)?
About 290 kcal per serving, with 3 g of protein, 67 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 290 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 67 g |
| Fat | 1 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 290 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
