Yuca with coconut and sugar is a popular street dish in Southern Vietnam. You can find this pretty much anytime of the day, but most people prefer it in the morning as a breakfast dish. The yuca is first steamed, then split with a knife to create a crevasse, where the condiments are poured in. Condiments include confectioners' sugar, fresh coconut, coconut milk, and toasted sesame seeds. To serve, the yuca is wrapped in a banana leaf.
Yuca, also known as cassava, is a starchy root with a hard waxy exterior. It is a major source of carbohydrates, and in terms of taste, it doesn't have a lot of it. It is eaten more for the texture than for taste. Tapioca is made from the flour of this root.
When selecting yuca, be sure to avoid ones with bruises. Any tender spots on the yuca root is likely a sign of a bruise.
This recipe yields 6-8 servings.
Yuca with Coconut and Sugar- 2 yuca roots
- 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 2 cups of sweetened coconut, shredded
- 4 Tbsp of sesame seeds, toasted
Method
1. Peel the yuca roots, and soak them in cold water for 3 hours. Steam them for 20 minutes. While still hot, cut the yuca into small wedges.
2. While the yuca is still warm, mix in the sugar and coconut with your hands. The sugar will melt into the yuca, so make sure it is evenly distributed. Right before serving, mix in the toasted sesame seeds.
With this recipe, we normally toast the sesame seeds in a wok to create a more authentic flavor. If you wish, you can also pour coconut milk on top of this dessert.
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5 comments:
In Jamaica, we make it into "bammy" - a kind of flat "bread" only thicker - about half inch - which is then 'fried" (really sauteed) - totally delish.
Hmmm... despite the fact that I am Vietnamese and I've been to Vietnam, I've never tried this before! I'll have to ask my mom about it. Maybe she never introduced it to me because she thought I wouldn't like it, she doesn't like it or it is a regional thing?
Tanya,
I've never heard of bammy before, but it looks really cool. Never thought you could make 'bread' out of yuca. Definitely looks good. Thanks for sharing that with me!
Jenny T,
I called up my aunt (who gave me the recipe and lived in Ho Chi Minh City for a good part of her life) said that this is a dish popular in the South of Vietnam. I'm thinking it is a regional thing. The way it is served on the streets vs. at home is different too. They don't normally cut up the yuca and pre-mix the condiments on the streets. A true Vietnamese yuca dessert also contains a bit of salt. Hope this tid bit of info helps.
Heavenly! I don't think we can get yuca around here, but this sure had me wanting to try!
Great recipe! I tried this a very long time ago, but had forgotten about it. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for yuca.
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