Brilio.net - Cassava leaves are one type of vegetable that is often processed by people. Apart from being easy to obtain, cassava leaves can be cooked into various menus. For example, it is made into a stir-fry, made into soup, or boiled to be used as fresh vegetables.
Unfortunately, quite a few people avoid eating cassava leaves because they taste bitter and bitter . In fact, the bitter taste tends to appear due to mistakes when cooking, you know. So that the bitter taste disappears completely, you can boil the cassava leaves first. This boiling process is also effective in making the texture of cassava leaves soft.
To make it even softer, cassava leaves must be boiled for a long time. However, just like other green vegetables, cassava leaves that are boiled for too long actually change color, you know. If initially fresh green, cassava leaves will actually turn black when they are ripe. So it's not interesting anymore, right?
As a solution, a number of people deliberately add a few guava leaves to the boiled water. So, if the texture is soft, immediately remove and drain the cassava leaves. That way, the results are soft and the color remains green.
But don't always use that method, because an Instagram user @rorasmommy2912 showed another way to boil cassava leaves. Even without guava leaves, boiled cassava leaves are still soft and bright green.
Curious about how?
How to boil cassava leaves so they are soft and green using 2 kitchen ingredients.
The first step, boil water in a pan. When it's boiling, add two kitchen ingredients, namely 1 tablespoon baking soda and 1 tablespoon salt. Stir until evenly mixed. The addition of these two ingredients makes cassava leaves become soft quickly and remain green.
photo: Instagram/@rorasmommy2912
Then add the cassava leaves that have been washed clean to the pan. During the boiling process, stir the cassava leaves so they cook evenly.
photo: Instagram/@rorasmommy2912
Because baking soda and salt have been added, the process of boiling cassava leaves is shorter. Remove the cassava leaves immediately when the texture is soft.
photo: Instagram/@rorasmommy2912
To keep the color bright green, transfer the cassava leaves to a container filled with ice water. Leave and soak the cassava leaves for a few moments.
"This function is to stop the process of cooking cassava leaves so they don't overcook," he said, quoted by BrilioFood from Instagram @rorasmommy2912 on Monday (1/4).
photo: Instagram/@rorasmommy2912
Once cool, drain and squeeze the cassava leaves. Boiled cassava leaves are ready to be consumed.
photo: Instagram/@rorasmommy2912
It still looks bright green, right?
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An easy way to pick cassava leaves for consumption.
Picking cassava leaves for consumption is actually quite easy. Following are the steps.
1. Choose the right cassava plant.
Make sure you choose cassava plants that are old enough to harvest the leaves. Young leaves are too small and do not provide maximum results.
2. Choose the right leaves.
Choose leaves that are healthy, dark green, and free from damage or pests. Large and thick leaves are better for consumption.
3. Prepare sharp cutting tools.
Use garden shears or a sharp knife to cut the cassava leaves. Make sure the tool is clean so it doesn't contaminate the leaves with bacteria or dirt.
4. Carefully cut the leaves.
Cut the cassava leaves carefully so as not to damage the plant. You can cut the leaves by cutting them from the stem infrequently. Make sure not to cut all the leaves on one plant so that the plant can still grow and develop.
5. Wash the leaves thoroughly.
After picking, wash the cassava leaves with clean water to remove any dirt or dust attached.
Remember that cassava leaves contain low levels of cyanide, so make sure to cook them properly before consuming them. Do not consume raw cassava leaves.