Yuca/ Cassava/ Tapioca Chips

Are  you looking  for an alternative for a potato chips here  is the delicious Yuca/ Cassava/ Tapioca Chips

Again this is a nostalgic recipe which I have grown up with. Here my kids are fan of Potato chips, but while growing up both me and my sister were fan of Plantain chips and this Yuca/cassava /Tapioca chips. We could not get Potato chips in those days, and I don’t even know where we could have got fresh chips. My dad used to buy us the plantain and  Yuca/cassava/tapioca chips, and we always waited patiently at the store to get freshly cooked ones, even he had pre-packed one there. Here is the my version of yuca/cassava/Tapioca chips.

Here is little history behind Yuca /cassava/ Tapioca which is native of Brazil, the land of 2016 Olympics came to South India through Portuguese traders during 17^th Century. The popularization of this crop in Kerala was attributed to the famous king of Travancore State, Sri Visakham Thirunal by introducing popular varieties. Cassava became an important food during famine II during World war (1939-45) when import of rice from Burma (Myanmar) was stopped and which led to food scarcity. Yuca/ Cassava/tapioca were used as substitute to rice (staple) especially by the people of low income strata. Nowadays it is used as side dish by all sections of society.

Since I grew up eating them I used to buy them whenever I see them in grocery store. I have made puzhukku a kind of stew with boiled Yuca/ cassava/Tapioca. Then while shopping at Fiesta which sells lot of Mexican American stuff I saw a packet of Yuca chips. I bought that however it has some flavoring. Yuca chips in my hometown Kerala don’t have any flavoring only it is just salted and some time spiced with chili powder. So I decide to make it at home.

While checking using Google, I found lot of recipes on yuca(cassava)  chips some are similar to what I had in my home town but flavored and others are boiled first and then fried as thick pieces.  I decide to follow my plantain chips frying style for this yucca too. For the best possible chips, the slices of Yuca (cassava) need to be paper-thin. I recommend using a vegetable slicer or mandolin to keep the slices thin and uniform for adequate frying even less than ⅛^th inches if possible.

Make sure to remove the thick outer covering of Yucca (cassava) check this post. Then wash it in water and slice them into paper thin slices. Dried them in paper towel to prevent the splattering of water while frying, you can salt the chips two ways, first way to just sprinkle the salt while the chips are hot, second method is to add salt water at the end of frying time in the oil, you have to careful with second step as you can get burn from hot oil splattering. To prevent that just close it with a lid when you add salt water.

Here comes the delicious Yuca (cassava chips) you can have them at game night, if you want you can have them with your favorite dip. I don’t like any dip just love to munch them as such.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Yuca/ Cassava/ Tapioca Chips

Here is delicious Yuca/cassava/tapioca chips you can make it at home. Great alternative for potato chips.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Latin American, South Indian

Keyword: #appetizer

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 745kcal

Ingredients

• 2 fresh Yuca/cassava roots
• 4 cups Peanut oil for deep frying
• ½ teaspoon Salt to taste

Instructions

• First slice off about a half-inch from each end of the yuca (cassava) root.
• Remove the thick brown bark like skin from the root for this you need knife, peeler won’t work.
• Wash the roots with running water.
• With a vegetable slicer or mandolin, slice the root into thin rounds (less than ⅛ inch). I used the straight blade you can use crinkle cut blade if you want.
• Dry the roots on paper towels. (You do not want them to be wet when you put them in hot oil.)
• Fry in hot oil at 370 degrees Fahrenheit until a lightly brown and crisp. Don’t crowd the fryer. Fry in batches if necessary.
• Drain the chips on paper towels, sprinkle with salt. If not add salt water at end of the frying time and immediately close the oil with a lid to prevent oil splattering.
• You can serve them right away or allow them to cool and store them sealed in airtight container for few days.

Notes

Author : Swathi( Ambujom Saraswathy)

Nutrition

Calories: 745kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 72g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g | Monounsaturated Fat: 33g | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @nidhinikhil or tag #zestysouthindiankitchenrecipes!

Swathi

This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread.  All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.