Tapioca

a preparation from the root of the cassava or manioc plant. There are two cassava plants, the bitter and the sweet. Both are natives of South America. The former is the more valuable and has been introduced into most tropical regions. It has a cluster of carrot-shaped root-stocks which attain a length of thirty-five inches and a weight of thirty pounds. The roots are poisonous when green, but after they have been washed, sliced, and dried, they lose their poisonous qualities. The dry root-stock is grated and the starch is washed out in the usual way. It is then called Brazilian arrowroot. When the starch is heated on hot plates and stirred with a rod, the grains burst and collect into small irregular masses. This is the tapioca of commerce, sold in groceries. It is used for puddings, and, in general, as a substitute for rice. Our chief supply comes from the West Indies and Brazil. Large quantities are exported by the East Indies. The cassava plant belongs to the spurge family. Tapioca is one of the purest starches known. See Starch; Sago