Tapioca flour is a fine starch extracted from the cassava root. It gives gluten-free breads a chewy, stretchy texture and thickens sauces and puddings.
- Made from
- Cassava root (Manihot esculenta)
- Also called
- Tapioca starch, manioc starch, polvilho
- Texture
- Fine, powdery
- Gluten
- Naturally gluten-free
- Used for
- Pão de queijo, thickening, bubble tea pearls
History
Cassava was domesticated in South America thousands of years ago and is a staple food for hundreds of millions of people. Starch extracted from the root has long been used by Indigenous peoples of Brazil and was later spread to Africa and Asia.
Where it comes from
South America, particularly Brazil.
Where it is used most
Brazilian pão de queijo and tapioca crepes, Southeast Asian puddings, and bubble tea pearls in Taiwan and beyond.
Varieties and types
Sweet (polvilho doce) and sour (polvilho azedo) starches behave differently; sour starch gives pão de queijo its characteristic puff.
Flavor and how to use it
Mix with hot liquid for a stretchy dough, or use as a thickener. Do not substitute with cassava flour, which is a different product.
Buying, storing and substitutes
Keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Cornstarch is a thickener substitute, though not for pão de queijo.
Recipes that use it
Photo credit: Bia Sousa on Pexels.