Ingredients
Cassava
- 4 kgbitter cassava, peeled
- water, for rinsing
Equipment
- a grater or grating board
- a ruguma, the woven press
- or a strong cloth and a heavy weight
- a fine sieve
- a large flat griddle or comal
To serve
- fried or stewed fish
- hudut, coconut fish stew
- coconut oil, for dipping
Directions
- Peel the roots thickly with a knife. Remove the whole layer beneath the bark.
- Rinse the peeled roots thoroughly. Never taste the raw root at any point. Work outdoors or in a well ventilated space. Press it for at least an hour.
- Keep going until almost no liquid runs. The pulp should be nearly dry and crumbly.
- Keep it away from children and animals. That syrup is safe once boiled long enough.
- Heat a large flat griddle over a fire. It must be genuinely properly hot.
- Spread the sifted flour over the whole surface. Spread it in an even thin layer. Use a ring or a hoop to shape a round.
- Press it down gently with a flat tool. Watching it bake takes attention. Break it into pieces by the hand. It keeps two weeks in a dry place.
Technique
- Bitter cassava juice is genuinely poisonous, and the whole process of grating, pressing, sifting and baking exists to remove the cyanogens from the root.
- The traditional press is a long woven tube called a ruguma, hung and stretched with a weighted pole so it squeezes tight around the pulp and forces the juice out.
- In two thousand and one UNESCO proclaimed the Garifuna language, dance and music a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and cassava bread is central to that culture.
Substitutions
- Ereba is bought ready-made in Garifuna communities and sold in stacks at markets.
- There is no safe substitute process, and bitter cassava should not be worked with untrained.
Variations
- The pressed juice can be boiled down into a preserving syrup, as Guyana does with casareep.
- Some makers add a little salt to the flour before baking.
- Hudut, mashed plantain with coconut fish stew, is the classic partner.
History
Garifuna women grate and press bitter cassava to remove its toxic juice before baking; UNESCO proclaimed Garifuna heritage a masterpiece of oral tradition in 2001.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ereba?
Ereba is a bread & pastry from Honduras: thin crisp flatbread of grated bitter cassava, eaten with fish. Garifuna women grate and press bitter cassava to remove its toxic juice before baking; UNESCO proclaimed Garifuna heritage a masterpiece of oral tradition in 2001.
How long does Ereba take to make?
Ereba takes 3 hours of preparation and 40 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes about 8 flatbreads. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Ereba?
Yes, within limits. Ereba is bought ready-made in Garifuna communities and sold in stacks at markets. There is no safe substitute process, and bitter cassava should not be worked with untrained.
What is the most important thing to get right in Ereba?
Peel the roots thickly with a knife. Remove the whole layer beneath the bark.
