Recently planting and growing some crops within my compound has become my most intriguing practice. Imagine, part of what I planted was cassava. I planted cassava at home and watch it grow taller by day.
Cassava is a popular crop that is used for flakes, flour and the likes. I was so ethusiastic about the growth, I never knew it would come out so great that I would even process some food in my home.
Having spent some months, I decided to harvest it. Wow! It was a bountiful harvest. It came out so big and nice. Nothing was rotten by the time I harvested it. Then, I was left with the thought of what I should use it to process. There are many options, cassava can be used to process a lot of food. I could decide to use it and make 'garri', some call it cassava flakes in English.
I could also use it to make 'Lafun' this is known as cassava flour. I could use it to process 'Fufu' which is known as pounded cassava.
Just to mention a few. Eventually, I decided to use my harvested cassava to make 'Lafun' , that is Cassava flour.
Cassava flour is used to make swallow known as 'Amala' in Nigeria. It is a very healthy food that is made by pouring the cassava flour into some boiled water and stirring until it is smooth and well-formed.
Now, that I have decided to use my homegrown cassava to make flour, the whole thing became easier. It is only indecisiveness that cause procrastinations. I started the processing by peeling my harvested cassava and sliced into smaller sizes, after the slicing.
I soaked it in a big bowl for three days. On the the third day, I sieved the water out and drain the cassava of any left water. I then poured it on the tray and some on a sack to sun dry it. Thankfully, we are presently in a dry season here in Nigeria. No rain whatsoever, this hastened the dryness. I only sundry it for three days and everything was perfectly dry.
Wow! 'Lafun' is ready. The only thing that remained now is to grind since it is dry. I then use grinding mill to grind it into powder.
Yes, cassava flour is ready and it can be stored at home for a long time. Nothing will happen to it. I just bring it out anytime I want to make food; poured it in a boiled water and stir.
However, it should be noted that this processed cassava comes out white and the end product, which is the 'Amala' swallow is also white. But some 'Amala' swallow can be black, this occurred when we mix, that is, grind some processed cassava with some processed yam. So, the yam flour will overshadow the cassava flour to give black swallow. So, the mixture of the two is called 'yam flour' but if I only grind the processed cassava, it will give pure white swallow, called, cassava flour and the end product will be 'Amala funfun' which is known as 'white swallow.
This is my first time of processing my food at home and I'm so happy for many reasons. Processing my food at home gives me the assurance of pure hygiene. I was the one that made it and I made sure it was done with all cleanliness. Also, my processed food was all natural. I was the one that planted and processed it. Since, I did not add anything to it, I know it is void of chemicals and good for consumption, so, no unnecessary fear. I'm also happy because growing and processing my food at home has encouraged so many people. Some of my friends have also started making do of the land unused in their compound to plant various crops, which I know is a great strategy to create food surplus in our environment.
Also, the fact that I am able to plant and eventually processed it into food gives me that great sense of fulfillment as a woman. I now see more strength in me and I now believe there is no impossibility anywhere, once the mind is ready.
Lastly, I'm joyous because I will still replant the cassava stem that I cut down.
That is another food in view. In fact, the already available stems Will also saved me the time and cost of searching for stem and buying new stems.
Thanks for reading.
All pictures are mine.
