Rice is the main starch eaten across Indonesia. However, there are many other forms of starch that are traditionally eaten, too. Purple taro root and the pulp of sago palms were traditionally preferred in the wetter, forested or river areas on many islands. Starchy roots like yams, sweet potato and cassava are eaten instead of rice on the drier, eastern islands of the archipelago.
Cassava might be my favorite Indonesian starch, if not food! Have you had tasted the bubbles at the bottom of a cup of bubble tea? Or eaten tapioca pudding? That’s cassava! On the Indonesian island of Java, street vendors will sell you shaved ice topped with syrup and those same tapioca pearls.
You can also find cassava root cut into pieces and fried. I love that form, especially if I find myself miserably stuck in traffic, on my motorbike with the rain pouring down. In Indonesia, there’s a season called the monsoon when rainstorms happen every day, lasting for an hour if not more. If I find myself stuck in the rain, I’ll pull over and hide under a cassava seller’s roof and watch him deep fry cassava and sell pieces of the root in a pan of oil. This makes for a slightly salty, flaky treat. One piece costs 2000 rupiah (14 cents).
My favorite version of cassava root is native to Southeast Sulawesi. It’s a steamed loaf called kasuami. Let me tell you about it.
