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Macaxeira frita
Fried cassava sticks
Macaxeira frita: Northeastern cassava sticks, boiled then fried crisp outside and fluffy within
Northeastern Brazilians call cassava macaxeira, and fried sticks of it come out with carne de sol, with grilled cheese at beach shacks, and in a bowl beside a cold drink at any bar from Natal to Maceió. Boiling first makes the inside soft and floury; frying afterwards gives a thick, blistered crust that stays crunchy far longer than potato chips. They need only coarse salt, though a dip of vinagrete or garlic mayonnaise is common. Buy sweet cassava, cook it fully, and never eat it raw. The frequent mistake is boiling until the cassava falls apart, which makes sticks that break up in the oil; stop as soon as a knife slides in. Chef's tip: let the boiled sticks steam dry and cool completely, even chill them for an hour, before frying; the drier surface is what makes them crackle.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb fresh cassava (macaxeira)or frozen peeled cassava
- 1 tbsp saltfor the water
- 4 ¼ cups neutral oil for deep-frying
- 1 tsp coarse saltto finish
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut 2 ¼ lb fresh cassava (macaxeira) into 8 cm lengths, slice off the thick brown skin and pink layer underneath, and halve each piece lengthways.
Step 2: Put it in a pan of cold water with 1 tbsp salt, bring to the boil over a high heat, then simmer for 15–20 minutes, until a knife slides in easily and the edges start to look fluffy.
18 minStep 3: Drain and, once cool enough to handle, pull out and discard the woody core from the centre. Cut into sticks about 1.5 cm thick.
Step 4: Spread the sticks on a rack and leave for at least 20 minutes, until cool and dry on the surface.
20 minStep 5: Heat 4 ¼ cups neutral oil for deep-frying in a deep pan to 350°F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Fry the sticks in 2–3 batches for 5–6 minutes, until deep golden and crisp.
15 minStep 6: Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with 1 tsp coarse salt and serve at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does macaxeira frita take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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