I miss binubod and bibingkang balanghoy. Pichi-pichi, cassava roll and nilupak are incomparable!

There is more to its literally down-to-earth nature.

In our more health-conscious world, the need for gluten-free desserts has lent us a serious understanding of special dietary requirements.

And special dietary requirements always spell a not-so-appealing choice of recipes to begin with.

As a kamoteng-kahoy loving Filipino, cassava has eased my burden in providing desserts to the celiac-stricken population. Celiac simply means gluten-intolerance. Gluten is a protein found in particular types of cereals like wheat, rye, barley and triticale.

In Fiji Islands, cassava is a staple food.

And in Fiji Deluxe Hotels you will always find guests who can’t tolerate gluten.

Harnessing the year-round availability and abundance of the crop, the very “rustic” cassava concoction is easily transformed into a gluten-free delight.

With much flair, I have been serving Cassava au Caramel to our guests with special needs. It does sound French because it is intended to be elevated to European standards. Caramel at the bottom? Yes it works pretty well. In fact, I have some guests asking for the recipe.

Of course, I still find the Filipino Cassava Cake far superior than the Fijian version (they simply combine ground cassava with grated coconut then wrap with banana leaves and baked in the earthen pit). Theirs is tough and chewy while ours is flavorful and gooey.

This recipe has been passed on to me by my mother. She has hordes of Cassava Cake recipes but this is one of her favorites.

Begin by caramelizing an ample amount of white sugar with a little bit of water. Say, for every 500 g of sugar use 250 g of water. Let it turn into amber then pour onto a baking tray. At home, we normally use the 9”x12” cake tin. Make sure that the bottom of the pan is completely covered with the caramelized sugar.

Next step is to prepare the following recipe:

Combine all ingredients in a basin or bowl and mix with a whisk until smooth. The procedure is very simple and straightforward.

Pour the mixture into the pan.

Bake at 160º Celsius for about 45 minutes to an hour or until the top is golden brown. You may add kesong puti or grated cheddar cheese halfway through for added flavor. I always go for cheeses that are either salty or strong.

There is another way to enjoy cassava.

Prepare the same recipe as above but bake it in thin sheets. Use a jelly roll pan. It should be at least ½ inch thick. When cool (do not chill), spread a generous amount of peanut butter on top. Roll ala jelly roll! Viola! You have a peanut-cassava roll. This is what I used to enjoy in my childhood days.