Tapioca Cassava

Mash the two coconuts and squeeze out the thick coconut milk

Set aside

Strain 1 1/2 cups of boiling water into a bowl to extract the thin coconut milk

Add, then, 4 tablespoons of coconut cream to the thick coconut milk

Set aside again

Sift the tapioca through a coarse-mesh sieve

You won't use the fine tapioca that passed through the sieve

Mix together the tapioca left in the sieve with half of the remaining coconut cream and season with salt

Place this mixture into a fine, thin cloth and let it cook in the steamer basket over boiling water, which should be flavored with mint if desired

Fold the edges of the cloth and cover the steamer basket

Cook for 40 minutes, maintaining the boiling water temperature

You'll know it's done when you give the steamer basket a gentle tap: it should produce a hollow sound

Check if the tapioca is soft

Remove from heat and let sit in the steamer basket with the cover on for a few minutes

Then, turn out the cassava onto a shallow dish and let it cool

Moisten with the thin coconut milk seasoned with salt and a bit of sugar

Do the same with the thick coconut milk, reserving some to serve over the sliced portions

Serves 8.