Name: Cassava leaves, also called manioc leaves, saka-saka or pondu (Manihot esculenta) — the leaves of the cassava plant, widely eaten in Central and West Africa, parts of Brazil and Southeast Asia. They are toxic raw and must be cooked thoroughly.
Description
Cassava is native to South America, and was spread to Africa and Asia, where the roots became a staple. The leaves are a valued and important green vegetable in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and Liberia, among other countries. In Brazil's Pará state, the leaves are cooked for days for the dish maniçoba.
Like the roots, the leaves contain compounds called cyanogenic glycosides, which release cyanide, and they must be pounded and boiled for a long time to remove them. Properly prepared, they are a very rich source of protein for a leafy green, and have a rich, earthy flavour.
Main nutrition value
Cassava leaves are a rich source of protein for a leaf vegetable, plus vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium, once properly cooked.
How best to be consumed
Cassava leaves must always be pounded or finely chopped and boiled thoroughly.
- Pound or finely chop the leaves, then boil for at least 30 minutes to an hour, discarding the water.
- Simmer with palm oil, onions, fish or meat, as in Congolese pondu or Sierra Leonean cassava leaf stew.
- Never eat the leaves raw or lightly cooked.
- Use sweet varieties where possible, and follow traditional methods for bitter types.
- Buy pre-prepared frozen leaves from reputable shops, which are already processed.
Overconsumption could cause…
Cassava leaves are safe only when properly prepared.
- Cyanide poisoning from raw or undercooked leaves, which can be serious or fatal, so they must be thoroughly cooked.
- Konzo, a paralytic disease linked to long-term eating of poorly processed cassava in areas of food shortage.
- A lot of palm oil, salt and fat in some traditional dishes.
- Digestive upset from undercooked or very fibrous leaves.
Wikipedia — Cassava, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava
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