Cassava Hunting

After beginning a bio intensive and permaculture garden next door to Karamana's kitchen where it would go to good use and be a wonderful demonstration, we went on a hunt for cassava, a native food rich with a history.

Karamana has a good patch and we harvested two long roots, washed them in the river and went back to her cozy kitchen to prepare them! They were wonderful! much better than I expected a white root to be. They are either fried, dried into chips or ground into a powder.  Most commonly used or known as tapioca, cassava is one of the major crops in Africa. It has for some reason lost popularity in Kenya feasibly as corn/maize has taken over in the last 100 years there was less need. They are a perfect plant to grow as they are drought tolerant can be harvested at anytime. They are touted for their aphrodisiac properties by the guys working at KACH (although who knows... can't say JP or Mikey or any of our Kenyan friends looked extraordinarily good looking or exceptionally hot after eating! will pay better attention next time!!!)

Karamana eating a mango as we arrive

Simon preparing a demonstration plot

cassava flower

cassava root

 

peeling cassava root 

Yum!