Ginataang Kamoteng Kahoy (Cassava Root in Sweet Coconut Milk)

I have never cooked Cassava (Yuca) in a sweet way. On Saturday I went to my friends house (Shantall) who is Filipino and her mother had this delicious Yuca in coconut milk that was sweetened with sugar. I fell in love with it, why wouldn't I after all it is also one of the most loved starchy root vegetables Cubans love. I could have never imagined it sweet, but let me tell you it is amazingly delicious and comforting for something so simple to make.

So anyways, this week a had bought 2 medium fresh Cassava roots that were on sale, let me tell you how to pick them. You should choose one that is firm, doesn't have tooo many lines all over, and also to check if it's good you.... GASP.... have to snap off a bit of the top part, if you snap it off and it's firm, and white the root is good inside. (Haha atleast I snap only a bit of the top this Peruvian lady at the store snapped it in half haha and if it was not good back to the shelf haha.) or you can take the really practical easy way out and buy frozen Yuca that is peeled.

I bought the fresh one though because it was so fresh and good, after peeling the Cassava I picked it was perfect white and beautiful.

So on seperate note to all my fellow Cubans reading this I suggest you give it a try I know you'll like it :)

Ingredients:
-1- 1 1/2 lbs. Yuca (frozen or fresh)
-1 can coconut milk
-3/4 cups white sugar (more or less to your taste)
-water
Directions:
(1)If using fresh Cassava root, have a pot with water on the side, cut the Yuca into 3 sections, lay it on it's flat round side, and with a knife cut off the peel, cut in half, then place in water to prevent discoloration. (I peeled both Yuca's but I only used 1 and a piece of the other, the rest I froze it so I can use it soups or steam witha Cuban garlic lime sauce)

(2)Now drain it and wash Cassava, add water just enough to BARELY cover, bring to a boil on high and cover to cook on medium heat until tender but not falling apart, you will see the Yuca will sort of open a bit.

(3)Now when Yuca is tender, crank up heat to high, add coconut milk, and sugar to taste now bring to a boil and let it boil uncovered on medium heat for about 5-10 minutes.

(4)Enjoy this simple, comforting, and delicious dessert.

NOTE AND WARNING:
-Do not consume raw cassava root/ yuca/ yucca whatever you wanna call it (we call it Yuca in Spanish) it is very poisonous when raw, and will turn into cyanide in your body and kill you, it's strong enough to knock out a cow ha ha. So unless you wanna die don't taste it raw :) but when cooked it is perfectly safe and delicious.

Turon (Spring Roll Wrapped Fried Banana?)

Okay I learned how to make this from my Filipino friend and her mother (both cook good food, I've learned lots from them and enjoy visiting, gardening, and cooking with them on the weekends it's very carefree and relaxing to me especially now that I started college and am annoyed by it... anyways...)

Okay this is simple it is a "Burro Banana" sometimes called "Chunky Banana" I have no idea what Filipinos label it as in their stores but it's like a short fat plantain. When it is ripe (it has a yellow color with little black markings yet still firm) is when it is used for this dish..

The Burro Banana is sprinkled with brown sugar, wrapped in a type of Spring Roll Wrapper called "Lumpia" it is different than the Chinese spring roll wrapper because it has a different crunchy more "puffy" in my opinion. It is made with only wheat flour, water, coconut oil, and a little bit of salt I believe from reading the packaging.

Ingredients:
-1 package of 25 Lumpia Wrappers (spring roll pastry NOT EGG ROLL WRAPPERS!, the brand I noticed my friend bought is either called "Samana" and another called "Spring Home" which is manufactured in Singapore I believe)
-9-12 "Burro Bananans", peeled and cut into 3 long parts (yellow with black flecks and no soft spots on exterior)
-Brown sugar (just have a big bowl of it near you)
-Water or a beaten egg to seal wrappers (it's easier with egg, but water works fine to)
-oil to pan-fry or deep-fry (your choice how you wanna do it)

Directions:
(1)Open package of spring rolls, seperate each sheet, be careful not to rip any.
(2)Arrange all your ingredients and have everything on hand
(3)Now place the lumpia wrapper like a diamond shape facing you place the banana slice horizontally near the middle but not really, sprinkle sugar on it to taste not a bunch but some.
(4)Fold the upper flap over the banana tightly then the left one and make sure everything lines up with the banana, do the same to the right one. Now roll it towards you sealing it when you get to the last roll dampen with some water or egg and seal.
(5)Set aside in a large plate and work fast or the wrappers will harden and become hard to work with.



(6)Heat oil enough to deep-fry or pan-fry your choice on medium high heat, to check if oil is hot dip a wooden spoon or chopstick a little if it bubbles it's ready for frying, fry about 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown.

NOTE: I have no pictures of the frying process but you get the point, the reason I took no more pictures is because I made them all early in the moring then put them covered in the fridge to fry for dinner for dessert or later another day.

Also these freeze well, just wrap them seperately in wax/ parchment paper individualy and freeze them and then just thaw before frying.

Do not use super ripe bananas with this unless your gonna fry immediately, because the banana will moisten it to much as it sits so ideally use a banana that has a few black specs but is still yellow.

If you wanna see how the final dish would look just google the word "Turon" on google images.