Tapai

About This Recipe

Tapai is made by fermenting cooked cassava with ragi (fermentation yeast cakes) for two to three days. The result is soft, mildly sweet, and pleasantly tangy. It is eaten as a dessert or snack and is also used to make a mildly alcoholic beverage.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgcassava, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2ragi (fermentation yeast cakes), crumbled
• 1 tspsugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook cassava

   Boil cassava in salted water until just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and cool to room temperature.

2. 2

   Sprinkle yeast

   Dust cooled cassava evenly with crumbled ragi and sugar.

3. 3

   Ferment

   Layer in a clean container lined with banana leaves or cling film. Cover and leave at room temperature for 2–3 days.

4. 4

   Check

   Tapai is ready when it is soft, slightly wet, and pleasantly sweet-sour.

5. 5

   Serve

   Eat as is or chilled. Serve as a dessert with fresh fruit.

Variations

• •

  Make tapai from glutinous rice for a different texture.

• •

  Serve drizzled with coconut cream.

Storage

Refrigerate after fermentation is complete; consume within 5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions