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Manioc(cassava)-coconut milk curry.

Manioc(cassava)-coconut milk curry.

Manioc curry cooked into a creamy consistency with the help of coconut milk.

The tempered onions, pandan leaf dried chilli, fennel and mustard seeds add the final touches to this truly wonderful Sri Lankan dish.

Manioc curry is a vegetarian and vegan dish that can easily replace your regular dhal curry and potato curry or any type of mildly spiced dish you serve.

Manioc is also is known as tapioca and cassava.

It’s unassuming and usually displayed in supermarkets as it is, just dug out of the earth and still holding the soil on its hard skin.

And just looking at the root, you would not expect to enjoy eating the root or even your kids would like it. 

But Sri Lankan manioc curry cooked in the proper way is so tasty and fills you up with such satisfaction that you’ll be making it regularly.

Meal ideas for Manioc curry.

Breakfast can be as simple as boiled cassava(manioc, cook uncovered and water drained) with freshly scraped coconut and lunumiris.

Lunch can be a simple dish with not too many curries.

Remember this root is starchy and your rice is starch as well, go really low in the quantity of rice you serve yourself.

The manioc dish and my grandmother’s slow-cooked beef curry or my mother-in-law’s no curry powder beef curry with a mallung or a pol sambol would do.

Red rice, manioc curry, chicken ambul thiyal or a Sri Lankan chicken cooked without coconut milk with a few raw onions and green chillies on the side. a village type meal, served on a banana leaf if you can.

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Manioc(cassava)-coconut milk curry. Manioc curry cooked into a creamy consistency with the help of coconut milk. The tempered onions, pandan leaf dried chilli, fennel and mustard seeds add the final touches to this truly wonderful Sri Lankan dish.

Utensils and appliances needed.

Chopping board

Heavy knife or cleaver

A sharp small knife with a thin blade.

Large bowl

Medium-sized cooking pot

Beginner’s tips on making Manioc coconut curry.

  • Always cook the manioc(cassava)root the same day or the day after. do not allow it to age.
  • If you are simply boiling the Manioc for breakfast then completely drain the water you cooked it in.
  • While the Manioc is cooking, avoid covering it with a lid, this is to avoid any toxic gas build-up as the root cooks.
  • I am not sure the science behind it but we’ve been told to avoid the combo of manioc and ginger as it can be toxic.
  • whether there is truth to the story or not, just avoid ginger the day you cook manioc curry.
  • We usually add ginger to our meats so this might be a problem unless of course, you can make it a meatless meal for that day.
Cooking the Manioc.
  • Make sure the cassava(manioc)is completely boiled and soft before adding the coconut milk. If you need to add more water to do this, do so.
  • Tempering of ingredients and adding it to the pan of cassava curry brings the dish together and adds that flavor you come to appreciate in a tasty manioc curry so please don’t skip the tempering.

Storing- once the manioc curry is cool, store in an airtight container and refrigerate. it is best to consume within 3 days.

Freezing- avoid freezing, manioc is quite starchy, the taste and texture will be compromised should you freeze the curry.

Reheating- reheat over stovetop only if you refrigerate and not freeze.

Stop food waste by- cassava(manioc)roots are quite thick and can be cut into smaller pieces. they are filling so only use and cook as much as you need.

Leftover manioc curry, a simple pol sambol or lunumiris and a few slices of bread can be a great breakfast the following day.

How to cook cassava(manioc) curry

Please make sure to read the recipe instructions carefully to avoid mistakes.

Ingredients

Ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.

500g cassava root

2 and a 1/2 cup of water

2 teaspoon red chillie powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

3 teaspoons of unroasted curry powder(use my unroasted curry powder recipe)

1 teaspoon fenugreek seed

1-inch pandan leaf

A sprig of curry leaves

1 and 1/2 cup thick coconut milk

Salt to season

For tempering

1 medium-sized onion sliced

1-inch pandan leaf

1 teaspoon fennel seed

3 dried chillies

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Method

Have a bowl of water with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric ready. what you will want to do is, as soon as you remove the thick skin of the cassava(manioc), drop it in the water to avoid discoloring.

Use a sharp heavy cleaver to cut off the ends of the roots.

Cut the root into manageable pieces the peel off the tough outer skin using a thin sharp knife. do not use a vegetable peeler as it is not possible to remove it.

Once you peel them, cut them into cubes(1-inch) and drop them in water.

How to cook manioc (cassava)curry.

Into a cooking pan, add the manioc cubes and water to completely submerge them(2 and 1/2 cups), red chillie powder(1-2 tsp), turmeric(1 tsp), unroasted curry powder(3 tsp, also labeled as curry powder), fenugreek seeds(1 tsp), pandan leaf(1-inch), curry leaves( a sprig).

Stir the ingredients in the pan and cook over medium heat until water evaporates and the manioc is half cooked.

Do not season with salt and make sure you do NOT cover the cooking pan with a lid as it boils. 

Cook until there is no water left and immediately pour in the thick coconut milk(1 and 1/2 cup).

If you do not want to use so much coconut milk due to health reasons, make sure to dilute 1/2 cup of coconut milk with 1 cup of water.

Season with salt and cook over low-medium fire until the manioc is soft(cut into it to see if the insides are cooked through)and you have a thick creamy gravy. this should take 45 minutes over medium-fire.

Check for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

How to temper for the manioc curry.

Into a small frying pan, pour oil(3 tbs), add pandan leaf(1-inch), fennel seeds(1 tsp), dried red chillies(3), onion(1), mustard seeds(1 tsp).

Temper the ingredients over low fire while constantly stirring until the onions turn golden brown.

Pour the tempering over the cooked manioc curry, mix well and serve warm.

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Manioc(cassava)-coconut milk curry.

Manioc(cassava)-coconut milk curry.

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Manioc curry is a vegetarian and vegan dish that can easily replace your regular dhal curry and potato curry or any type of mildly spiced dish you serve.

Manioc is also is known as tapioca and cassava.

Ingredients

  • Ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
  • 500g cassava root
  • 2 and a 1/2 cup of water
  • 2 teaspoon red chillie powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 3 teaspoons of unroasted curry powder(use my unroasted curry powder recipe)
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seed
  • 1-inch pandan leaf
  • A sprig of curry leaves
  • 1 and 1/2 cup thick coconut milk
  • Salt to season
  • For tempering
  • 1 medium-sized onion sliced
  • 1-inch pandan leaf
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 3 dried chillies
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Instructions

    Have a bowl of water with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric ready. what you will want to do is, as soon as you remove the thick skin of the cassava(manioc), drop it in the water to avoid discoloring.

    Use a sharp heavy cleaver to cut off the ends of the roots.

    Cut the root into manageable pieces the peel off the tough outer skin using a thin sharp knife. do not use a vegetable peeler as it is not possible to remove it.

    Once you peel them, cut them into cubes(1-inch) and drop them in water.

    HOW TO COOK MANIOC

    (CASSAVA)CURRY.

    Into a cooking pan, add the manioc cubes and water to completely submerge them(2 and 1/2 cups), red chillie powder(1-2 tsp), turmeric(1 tsp), unroasted curry powder(3 tsp, also labeled as curry powder), fenugreek seeds(1 tsp), pandan leaf(1-inch), curry leaves( a sprig).

    Stir the ingredients in the pan and cook over medium heat until water evaporates and the manioc is half cooked.

    Do not season with salt and make sure you do NOT cover the cooking pan with a lid as it boils. 

    Cook until there is no water left and immediately pour in the thick coconut milk(1 and 1/2 cup).

    If you do not want to use so much coconut milk due to health reasons, make sure to dilute 1/2 cup of coconut milk with 1 cup of water. 

    Season with salt and cook over low-medium fire until the manioc is soft(cut into it to see if the insides are cooked through)and you have a thick creamy gravy. this should take 45 minutes over medium-fire.

    Check for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

    HOW TO TEMPER FOR

    MANIOC CURRY.

    Into a small frying pan, pour oil(3 tbs), add pandan leaf(1-inch), fennel seeds(1 tsp), dried red chillies(3), onion(1), mustard seeds(1 tsp). 

    Temper the ingredients over low fire while constantly stirring until the onions turn golden brown. 

    Pour the tempering over the cooked manioc curry, mix well and serve warm.

    Notes

    BEGINNER’S TIPS ON

    MAKING MANIOC

    COCONUT CURRY.

    • Always cook the manioc(cassava)root the same day or the day after. do not allow it to age. 
    • If you are simply boiling the Manioc for breakfast then drain the water you cooked it in completely. 
    • While the Manioc is cooking, avoid covering it with a lid, this is to avoid any toxic gas build-up as the root cooks. 
    • I am not sure the science behind it but we’ve been told to avoid the combo of manioc and ginger as it can be toxic.
    • whether there is truth to the story or not, just avoid ginger the day you cook manioc curry.
    • We usually add ginger to our meats so this might be a problem unless of course, you can make it a meatless meal for that day. 

    COOKING THE MANIOC.

    • Make sure the cassava(manioc)is completely boiled and soft before adding the coconut milk. If you need to add more water to do this, do so.
    • Tempering of ingredients and adding it to the pan of cassava curry brings the dish together and adds that flavor you come to appreciate in a tasty manioc curry so please don’t skip the tempering.

    Nutrition Information:
    Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 294Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 174mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 4g

    Nutritional information on islandsmile is provided as a courtesy. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on the site. these figures should only be considered as estimates.

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