CEBU, Philippines — In the Philippines, cassava cake (locally called “bibingkang kamoteng kahoy”) is one of the most popular and enjoyed homemade delicacies or “kakanin.” In fact, many people think that it’s the only way to enjoy cassava, aside from the simple boiled cassava. But, actually, there are many, many edible things that can be made from cassava.
While cassava can be incorporated in many main dishes, locally it is mainly prepared as a dessert. Traditional methods of preparation include steaming, mashing, grating, boiling, and frying. It is made into puto, suman, pudding, chips, cassava balls, pancakes, or used as ingredient in “binignit.”
There is a general caution with cassava, though. It needs to be cleaned, processed, and cooked properly. The root crop is known to cause poisoning if not handled or used right.