Yuca Fries, Baked in Coconut Oil
Thanks to a nearby Korean market, Yuca root is readily available in my neighborhood. It looks like a giant waxy crossover between a potato and a coconut. However it's easy to peel, chop, and turn into tasty fries! Yuca is high in fiber, Vitamin C, and Potassium, so the recipe is a nutritionally dense way to satisfy a carbohydrate craving. Since every day of my life is one long carb craving, I've been making these a fair amount lately.
I did a bit of research about Yuca after I realized how much I like it. The main thing I learned is that if you add a second C to the word you end up researching a perennial tree that would definitely not be delicious in fry form. I also learned that Yuca, when dried and ground, is tapioca. So I use it all the time in my kitchen and just never made the connection. Yuca is also known as Cassava, or Manioc. This concludes the 'What I learned about Yuca on the Internet' portion of this blog entry.
So, hopefully you can find Yuca near you, because this recipe is worth a try. I have been using their high potassium content as an excuse to eat them post long run--I'm warding off cramps, dammit! Below I have included a photo of Yuca in it's various forms. The whole root, peeled, what the peel looks like, and then how it looks chopped into sticks. It kind of looks like a parsnip once it's peeled and chopped. I know that it looks intimidating to work with, but it's actually really easy. And the recipe itself couldn't be more simple--boil, toss in oil & spices, bake. I have baked the recipe below in both olive oil and coconut oil--both work, and you could easily substitute avocado oil. Let me know how this goes for you!
Serves 2-4 as a side--recipe is easy to modify depending on how many people you're serving
Medium Quick, Easy Prep
What You Need:
One Small Yuca Root, Peeled & Chopped into sticks
Tbsp coconut oil, melted
Tbsp lime juice
Salt & Pepper for sprinkling
Cayenne for sprinkling (I used WAY too much and these were super spicy. We had clear sinuses, though!)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
Parboil your Yuca fries in a pot in boiling water. They should be tender enough to pierce with a knife, but not so tender that they are mushy, so keep an eye on them!
Drain your Yuca fries in a colander. In a bowl carefully mix them with the oil and the lime juice so they are all evenly coated.
Arrange your fries on a baking tray and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Cayenne, just like the image below.
Bake for 15-20 minutes
Take the fries out of the oven and flip them. Sprinkle this new side with salt, pepper & cayenne, also
Bake for another 15-20 minutes
Super easy, right? These are great with any number of condiments but we've just been eating them plain.
