“ WHEN ISHA GUTIERREZ-SUMNER COOKS, SHE’S often swept away by memories of her grandmother, who taught her how to prepare cassava—a tuberous root packed with cyanide.”
Whoa! Growing up in Uganda I used to eat cassava (“Mogo” in Swahili) all the time, without all the prep mentioned in the book. It was just peeled, boiled, and then fried. So, I’m full of cyanide! Walking home with friends after school we used to stop at a restaurant where it was served with a great sauce I called “upchuck sauce”, which looked gross, but was wonderful !
Those friends seek it out now in restaurants in Vancouver and Toronto, and also prepare it at home. Have to let them know!
You can get ‘mogo chips’ in Gujarati restaurants of East African provenance in the Midlands in the UK! Cassava is a staple starch amongst African communities here as well. I didn’t realise it was potentially poisonous without correct cooking prep?!
I did not know that about cassava, either.
As kids we were always warned not to eat too many bitter almonds bc of the cyanide content. Not sure how much of that was hysteria. One would probably have to eat a TPSTO them to get any effects.
