African Fufu Recipe

African fufu has become a trending dish on socialmedia. I had to give this recipe a try.

African Fufu Recipe Video Uploaded on Vidyascooking Youtube Shorts

African Fufu Ingredients:

500 Grams Fresh Tapioca

1/4 Tsp Salt

How and When to buy tapioca?

Best season to purchase tapioca is from october till January. Tapioca has a woody outer skin and a bark, while purchasing always make sure the bark is in reddish brown or pink in color. Tapioca must be hard and firm not soft. 

Never buy tapioca with dark spots it will be woody and is very old. I normally ask the vegetable vendor to chop the tapioca in half to inspect the inner core if it has green or dark spots. The woody peel or outer peel must be flaky and easy to inspect the inner bark. 

How to Store and Clean Tapioca?

When in season buy tapioca as fresh as possible. Best way to store tapioca is steam cooked and refrigerated or bagged and frozen till use. I normally purchase in bulk and store at least a kilo frozen.

Best method to clean tapioca is to wash it thrice and soak it in water for 30 minutes to an hour. The outer peel will be easy to peel and the bark will burst in few spots making it easy for us to peel. We need a knife and a tub of fresh water before we start peeling the tapioca.

Inspect the tapioca once its soaked in water, check if the outer bark is visible and score the bark. Try peeling the bark using your thumb while holding the root firm, it is easy to peel. If the tapioca is very fibrous the bark will be tough to peel just peel and discard the fiber portion entirely its not edible.

Once the tapioca is peeled wash twice in water and soak for 15 minutes in fresh tub of water to eliminate excess starch. By soaking tapioca it also softens and is easy to chop in desired cubes.

Add the chopped cubes to a mixerjar and grind to form a coarse paste, gradually add water and grind to form a smooth paste.

Transfer the smooth paste to a large nonstick pan along with 1 cup water on medium to low flame keep stirring. add salt as per taste.

Once lumps start to form stir well add 1 more cup water cover and cook the tapioca.

On high flame stir well and cook the tapioca till it starts to thicken, keep stirring until the tapioca starts to form a ball consistency. Remove from flame and serve hot with curry of choice...Enjoy!

Tapioca Cheese Balls Recipe

I enjoyed freshly harvested tapioca from a local farm. Tried this recipe on my own which turned out excellent...never knew tapioca can be used in cheese balls :)

Recipe video posted on Youtube English Channel 😊

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Tapioca (Peeled, Boiled and Mashed)

3 Tbsp All Purpose Flour (Maida)

2 Tsp Rice Flour

3 Tbsp Milk Powder

Cheddar Cheese Cubes

Salt as per taste 

Oil for frying...

Prep:

Rinse and steam cook the tapioca till soft and tender.

Peel the tapioca and allow to cool.

Using a fine grater or cheese grater, take small pieces of tapioca and start to grate and add it to a bowl.

Once the tapioca is grated knead to form a smooth dough.

Chop the cheddar cheese cubes into quarters.

How to Steam Cook Tapioca Video

Method:

Add rice flour, maida and milk powder to the tapioca, knead and form a smooth dough.

Divide and roll lime size tapioca balls. 

Place cheese in the middle, garther all the edges and roll to form a cheese ball.

Similarly we can also prepare tapioca stick in the same method. We need to take slightly larger than a lime size dough. 

Roll the dough into equal cylinders, place the cheese in the middle, gather all the edges to form a cheese stick and reserve.

Heat enough oil in a wok on medium flame.

Gently drop the tapioca balls one at a time and fry for 2 minutes on each side.

Keep flipping the cheese balls gently to achive golden color.

Drain the cheese balls from oil and reserve on kitchen towel for excess oil to drain.

Similarly fry the cheese sticks.

Serve the tapioca cheese balls hot with choice of sauce...Enjoy!

Tapioca Medu Vadai / Maravalli Kizhangu Vada Recipe

People who want to try medu vada in a different way, this is a perfect  recipe. I've used tapioca instead of black gram dhal. Tapioca is gluten free cooks faster, it's a wonderful vegan recipe. These Vada's can be served as a starter or side dish for southindian meals.

Advance cooking please clean and steam cook the tapioca as shown in my video on Youtube

How to clean and cook tapioca video

Tapioca Vada Recipe on Youtube 

Ingredients:

250 Grams Cooked and Grated Tapioca

1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion

5 Sprigs Coriander Finely Chopped

5 Sprigs Curry Leaves Finely Chopped

1 Tbsp Ginger Finely Chopped

1 Cup Rice Flour Sifted 

1 Tsp Cumin Seeds

1/4 Tsp Asafetida

Salt as per taste

Oil for frying

Prep:

Clean and steam cook the tapioca till soft and tender.

Peel the tapioca and allow to cool.

Using a fine grater or cheese grater, take small pieces of tapioca and start to grate and add it to a bowl.

Once the tapioca is grated knead to form a smooth dough.

Wash, peel and clean all the veggies (onion, chilies, ginger, coriander, curry leaves).

Finely chop all the veggies and reserve.

Method:

Add finely chopped onion, coriander, curry leaves, ginger, chilies to the tapioca dough.

Add cumin and asafoetida to the dough and knead the dough.

Gradually add rice flour, 1 tbsp at a time and knead to form a dough which is sticky yet firm.

If we add excess rice flour the vadas will be hard and not spongy.

Heat oil in a wok on low flame for frying the vadas.

Once the oil reaches smoking point place it on medium flame.

Add salt to the dough and sprinkle few drops water and knead the dough.

Once the salt is well incorporated in the dough, take slightly larger than lime size dough ball.

Using water wet hands, take the dough and flatten it place a .hole in the middle, gently drop the vada in hot oil.

Follow the step and prepare 3 to 4 vadas in a batch.

Gently flip the vadas every 2 minutes and fry it for 5 to 6 minutes until golden.

Drain the vada from oil and reserve it in a colander or plate lined with tissue to drain excess oil.

Serve the vada as hot as possible with red coconut chutney and Enjoy!

Tapioca Rice Rings Recipe (Crispy Snack)

I bought the freshly harvested tapioca from a local farm and have experiment few recipes which turned out amazing. Rice rings are a popular tea time snack here in south we enjoy snacking these, I tried to incorporate tapioca instead of preparing with just rice flour the taste was excellent.

Subscribe for more recipe videos 😉

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Cooked and Mashed Tapioca Dough

1/4 Cup Roasted Bengal Gram Flour

1/4 Cup Rice Flour

1 Tbsp Chilly Powder

1/4 Tsp Asafoetida

1 Tbsp Black Sesame Seeds 

Salt as per taste

Oil for frying

Tapioca Rice Rings Recipe:

1. Please follow the steps clean and cook the tapioca as per the previous video.

2. Once the tapioca is cooked grate it using a grater and reserve in a mixing bowl

3. Knead the tapioc to form a smooth dough.

4. Add the rice flour, roasted bengal gram flour, asafoetida, chilly powder, sesame seeds, and salt as per taste.

5. Heat enough oil for frying in a wok.

6. Once the oil reaches temp add 2 tbsp hot oil to the tapioca and knead to form a smooth dough, if the dough is dry or tight sprinkle few drops water and knead to form smooth dough.

7. Place the oil on low to medium flame for fry the tapioca rice rings.

8. Divide marble size dough balls, roll to form a cyliner shape and join both ends. Prepare 6 to 8 rice rings and reserve.

9. Gently drop the prepared rice rings in hot oil and allow to fry on low to medium flame.

10. Flip the rice rings every 2 minutes and fry until golden and crispy. Once the rice rings have fry drian from oil and reserve on a plate.

11. To drain excess oil place the fried rice rings on a tissue paper and serve these crispy rice rings hot or in room temp...Enjoy!

Southindian Breakfast Tapioca Puttu Recipe (Tapioca Rice Cakes)

Puttu is a breakfast dish prepared across southindian. Puttu is also served for lunch and dinner with meat curry or a simple vegetable curry. During tapioca season from nov to march, one should never miss to prepare puttu. Freshly harvested tapioca is so tender and tasty it is easy to clean and grate. 

When buying tapioca only few points to be noted, tapioca should be white in and should not have dark spots inside the flesh. Skin mush be flaky, if there is pinkish peel it's even better the tuber is fresh.

In my basics video I've posted a detail video how to clean and prep the tapioca. do watch the video for more info...

How to prepare tapioca puttu video watch and learn 😊

Ingredients:

500 Grams Fresh Tapioca (Peeled and Washed)

300 Grams Rice Flour

300 to 450 Grams Freshly Grated Coconut

Salt as per taste

Banana Leaves 

Tooth Picks

To Serve: Sugar, Ghee, Banana

Method:

Wash, peel and grate the tapioca.

Add the grated tapioca to a bowl of water and allow to rest for few minutes.

Rub the tapioca with your fingers and wash off excess starch on the tapioca.

Repeat the process and rinse of excess starch from tapioca at least thrice.

Squeeze of excess moisture from tapioca and reserve in a colander.

Allow excess moisture from tapioca to drain, do not be hasty when following this step.

Once the tapioca is drained, add approx. 3 to 4 tbsp of grated tapioca  to a mixer grinder along with 2 tbsp of rice flour and pulse thrice to form a coarse powdery texture. 

Reserve the grated tapioca in a plate, follow and repeat the step and prepare an entire batch of tapioca flour.

Add 1 tbsp salt and mix till well incorporated in the tapioca.

Cut the banana leaf into equal squares.

Roll the banana leaf to form a cylinder shape and secure with a toothpick from unraveling.

 

Rest one end of the cylinder on a flat surface.

Start to layer with grated coconut and tapioca. Form three layers and gently press the layers.\

We can follow the same step and prepare puttu in a tumbler and place the moulded puttu to steam.

Heat a steamer with enough water to cook the puttu.

Place the prepared puttu in the steamer, cover and steam cook on low flame for 5 to 10 minutes on medium flame.

After 10 minutes touch and check if the puttu is firm and start serving it hot.

We can serve puttu with curry, or ghee and sugar and enjoy the fluffy and delicious puttu for breakfast 😊

Many people use puttu contraption to cook the puttu but I've focused and shown how we can use natural products like banana leaf or utensils which we already have like tumbler to mould and prepare the puttu without a puttu maker. Hope every with try this method 😌

Tapioca Pearls / Javvarisi / Sabudana / Sabakki Vadai Recipe

I'm recreating this recipe post with fresh photos and video. This recipe was posted back in 2010, here is the link to my old post.

My mom would often prepare sabudana vadas as after school snack, I have fond memories enjoying these crispy vadas with ketchup. Sabudana / Javvarisi is very nutritious, helps in growth, it is good source of vitamin k and calcium.  

Recipe video posted on Youtube English and Tamil Channel Subscribe for regular updates 😊

Ingredients:
300 Grams Tapioca Pearls / Javvarisi / Sabudana / Sabakki (Nylon Javvarisi)
150 Grams Yogurt
1 Large Onion Finely Chopped
1/2 Cup Fenugreek Leaves Finely Chopped
1/2 Cup Dill Leaves Finely Chopped
1/4 Cup Coriander Finely Chopped
8 Green Chilies Finely Chopped
5 Sprigs Curry Leaves Finely Chopped 
1/2 Cup Maida (All Purpose Flour)
1/2 Cup Rice Flour
1/4 Cup Roasted Peanuts
Oil for Frying
Salt as per taste...

Method:
Add the measured tapioca pearls to a bowl, add yogurt and mix well. Add 1 cups water gradually mix well, cover and allow to soak for 2 to 3 hours.

Once the tapioca pearls double in volume transfer to a larger mixing bowl or plate. Add all the finely chopped greens, onions, chilies, peanuts, rice flour, all purpose flour and salt combine all the ingredients if needed sprinkle water and form a dough.

Heat a wok with enough oil for frying on medium flame. Once the oil reaches smoking point place on low flame.

Wet your hands and palms with water or oil take slightly larger than lime size portion of dough and flatten it in your palm to form vadas.

Gently drop the vada to hotoil prepare a batch of 4 to 5  vadas and start frying on medium to low flame. Gently turn the vadas every minute and fry the vadas for 5 minutes. Drain from excess oil and reserve on a plate lined with tissue paper.Serve the vadas hot with chutney and hot chai...Enjoy 😊

Tapioca Video Series on Youtube 

How to Steam Cook Tapioca

Honey Chilli Tapioca

Tapioca Chaat

Starter: Honey Chilli Tapioca Recipe

I'm trying new recipes or fusion recipes using tapioca. Tapioca is a very healthy and nutritious root vegetable consumed across southindian for breakfast or tea. Since everyone enjoys indochinese version of honey chilli potatoes, my thought was to replace the potatoes with tapioca it turned out excellent. People who do not prefer fried tapioca can use just the steam cooked vegetable as it is and toss in the masala.

How to Buy/Steam Cook and Serve Tapioca Detail Video 😊

Ingredients:
200 Grams Tapioca (Cleaned and Steam Cooked ahead of time)
1 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1 Tbsp Chilly Flakes
1/2 Tsp Chilly Paste or Ready to Use Schezwan Chutney
1/2 Tbsp Soya Sauce
1 Tbsp Honey
1 Capsicum (Chopped into tiny pieces)
5 Sprigs Spring Onion (Finely Chopped)
6 Pearls Garlic Finely Chopped
1 Medium Onion Finely Chopped
2 Green Chilies Finely Chopped
Oil for Frying
Salt as per taste...

Subscribe to me on Youtube English and Tamil Channels for regular updates 😊

Clean and cook the tapioca ahead of time, a detail video followed by blog is posted please click here to follow step by step instructions.

Method:
Heat a wok on medium flame with enough oil for frying.
Gently drop the steam cooked tapioca one at a time and fry on medium flame. Fry the tapioca till light golden in color drain and reserve on tissue paper. Try to fry the tapioca in three or two medium batches.

Heat a pan on medium flame. Add 1 tbsp of oil and allow to reach temperature.

Combine and add the chopped chilies, garlic and onion fry all the ingredients till onions turn transparent.

Add chopped capsicum and small portion of chopped spring onions fry for 30 seconds.

Add the ketchup, soya sauce, chilly paste, chilly flakes and salt fry all the ingredients first and add 3 to 4 tbsp water and cook the capsicum.

Allow excess moisture to evaporate and add the honey fry for 30 seconds and toss the tapioca till all the moisture is absorbed.
Garnish the tapioca with spring onions and serve hot...Enjoy😊

Tapioca Chaat Recipe Video

Garlic and Chilli Tapioca Fries Recipe Video

Tapioca Chaat Recipe

Tapioca Chaat is a quick and healthy snack to serve during tea time. People who want to avoid deep frying and use just steam cooked tapioca as it is in this recipe. 

Subscribe to me on Youtube English and Tamil Channels for regular updates 😊

Ingredients:
250 Grams Steam Cooked Tapioca 
1 Medium Onion Finely Chopped
5 Sprigs Spring Onions Finely Chopped
3 Sprigs Curry Leaves Finely Chopped
3 Sprigs Coriander Finely Chopped
1/2 Lime
1/2 Tbsp Chilly Flakes
1/2 Tbsp Chaat Masala
1 Tbsp Chilly Paste or Chilly Chutney
Oil for frying 
Salt as per taste...
We can also use grated carrots, chopped apple, crushed peanuts and finely chopped cucumber in this recipe.

How to prepare Chilly Chutney Recipe for Chaats

Please click here how to clean and cook tapioca

Method:
Heat oil in a wok on medium flame allow to reach temperature.

Once the oil reaches temperature gently drop the tapioca pieces one at a time in the oil and fry till light golden brown in color.

Drain from excess oil and reserve on a tissue paper.

Add the fried tapioca pieces to a mixing bowl and toss all the ingredients one at a time.

Add the chopped onions, spring onions, coriander, curry leaves, chaat masala, chilly flakes, chilly paste and salt, toss to coat.

Just before serving add lime juice and serve hot...Enjoy😊

We can prepare with just steam cooked tapioca.We have to add lime juice before adding all the ingredients so that the tapioca absorbs the lime juice. Use fresh and hot tapioca toss all the ingredients and serve as hot as possible.