History
Cassava, whose scientific name is Manihot esculenta, had been cultivated for a very long time by South American populations when the Portuguese navigator Cabral landed in Brazil with his crew. They used it to make flour. Jean de Léry, a French explorer, mentions cassava root in his travel account “History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil, Otherwise Called America.”
Its introduction to Martinique remains unknown. Cassava may either be endemic to the island or may have been brought by the Arawaks and the Caribs.
What is certain is that cassava already existed in the French islands before the arrival of European settlers. Father Jean-Baptiste Du Tertre states in his book Natural History of the Antilles Inhabited by the French:
“Everyone in France is astonished that no wheat grows in the islands and wonders how people can live on a root-based bread whose juice is a poison that can kill a man with a single spoonful; while the natives, on the contrary, consider the French unfortunate because there is no cassava in their country.”
Its name comes from the Brazilian word mandihocat.
Varieties
There are 42 different varieties of cassava. They are distinguished by two main types: sweet cassava and bitter cassava. The Caribs already made this distinction. While both types can be transformed into flour or moussache (a kind of flour used to make cassava flour), only sweet cassava can be eaten as a vegetable.
Bitter cassava is unsuitable for consumption unless detoxified. Once dried, its roots are used to make tapioca, cassava bread (cassave), or flour.
Cassava is a shrub with knotty stems and tuberous roots.
Sweet cassava, or ka manioc, has roots that can be eaten directly. The plant can reach up to 4 meters in height. Its roots measure between 30 and 50 cm and weigh between 2 and 5 kilograms. The plant resembles bitter cassava, which is used to make flour, but the advantage of ka manioc is that it can be eaten directly as a vegetable, unlike bitter cassava, which contains a toxic substance that must be removed.
Ka manioc tubers are harvested six months after planting.
Medicinal Virtues
Rich in water, cassava is an energy‑giving plant. Its low mineral content means it should be eaten alongside foods rich in iron and calcium.
Cassava is known for its digestive and anti‑diarrheal properties. It also helps fight gastroenteritis.
Its leaves are used to treat eye problems.
Uses
In Martinique, cassava is mainly consumed in the form of flour. Cassava flour is used in dishes such as féroce d’avocat. It also mixes well with red beans, white beans, and lentils. In Africa, cassava flour is known as gari.
Ka manioc can be eaten like other tubers by boiling it in water. It can also be used to make flour, cassava bread, ice creams, fritters (acras), and pastries.
Cassava leaves are eaten as a vegetable in many African countries. They are rich in vitamins A and C.
To learn more about cassava, you can visit the Case à Manioc.
