Tapioca (Cassava Root) is a starchy tuberous root. Tapioca starch and sago are made out of the starch extracted from tapioca root.
Tapioca is majorly cultivated as an annual crop in the states of Kerala & Tamilnadu. Tapioca is rich in carbohydrate and serves as a major staple food in the developing countries.
Tapioca root is long and tapered, with a firm, homogeneous flesh encased in a detachable rind, about 1mm thick, rough and brown on the outside.
Tapioca plant gives the highest yield of carbohydrates per cultivated area and can grow even on poor soils with little rainfall.
Tapioca root and the starch & sago produced from it used as to prepare many food varities.
Tapioca is widley consumed in Kerala and is considered as a staple food for common man. Kappa Kizhangu (tapioca) along with Fish curry is a delicacy in Kerala.
Thinly sliced waferes of tapioca is fried and eaten as Tapioca Chips in South India. It is a popular Snack food.
Note : Tapioca is generally used to represent the starch extract from the cassava root. But in India Tapioca represent the cassava root and not the starch.