Manioc

This is Manioc:


(It's pronounced Man-ee-oak)

It's a staple here in Africa. It is "odorless, tasteless, dissolves instantly in water, and is among the more deadly poisons known to man" (Wesley--The Princess Bride). Seriously, though, the only thing about that quote that is NOT true about manioc is that it does not actually dissolve instantly in water! Ha! It is nasty stuff. But, it's plentiful and cheap.

Our guard grew it in the backyard. So, he dug it up (sort of like a weird potato, I suppose), washed it off, and was trucking it home to the wife and kids for a manioc feast. Oh boy.



To cook it, you put it in a pot with some sugar and water, let it boil for about 20 minutes, and...Voila! You eat it with N'dole or fish or anything with a peanut sauce.