Fried cassava ( fried mogo)

Cassava is called Mogo in Swahili. Anyone who has lived or visited Kenya will have seen roasted or fried cassava sold on the streets. The mogo is usually served with a sprinkling of salt and chilli powder and a dash of lemon. Most of us who were kids in Kenya will remember buying either cassava, roasted sweetcorn, sliced mangoes or pineapple after school as a snack. These were cheap snacks which were probably healthier than chocolates and ice cream my kids tend to have.

What is cassava?

Cassava is also known as  yuca.  It is a  root vegetable which is very  popular throughout the tropics and used in the same way as the potato.  It’s a lot tougher than a potato and quite hard to chop and prepare.  Follow these instructions for cutting fresh cassava. In the UK, we are quite lucky to get frozen cassava which is read to chop and cook.  As cassava has naturally occurring forms of cyanide, which are toxic to ingest we should always soak and boil the cassava to make these compounds harmless.

Jump to Recipe

Cassava is a root vegetable which grows very similar to potatoes or sweet potatoes and can be used to make chips, crisps and even curry.

If you have attended any Kenyan barbecues, one of the things on the menu would have been cassava or sweetcorn  For my recipe – I bought prepared frozen mogo. 

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo frozen cassava
• 1 litre cooking oil
• salt and chili powder to taste
• fresh lemon juice (optional)
• any dip

Method

1. 1. Boil the cassava (yuca)in plenty of water until it gets soft.  ( just like you would boil potatoes)

2. Remove the water and cut the cassava into thick chips.

3. Heat the oil and fry the cassava chips – very similar to frying potato chips.

4. Once cooked, serve with just salt and chili powder with a dash of lemon or with any dip.  These are perfect at any Barbecue as they can always be reheated on the BBQ.

More recipes using cassava are listed below:

• Cassava (Yuca) curry with mango chutney (mogo nu shak)

 

If  you have a hunger for Authentic Vegetarian Food then subscribe to my blog and receive delectable recipes and new Innovative foodie updates! Hungry for more Vegetarian Tips ? LIKE us on facebook,  Follow us on Twitter,  Pinterest and Instagram.  All the recipes are with step by step instructions and photographs and all of them have been tried, tested, easy to cook and delicious.

If you are interested in one to one or group cookery lessons, or any corporate team building events  – email me on givemesomespice@gmail.com for more information.