BOLIVIAN SONSO DE YUCA

Sonso de Yuca (or Sonzo de Yuca) is a traditional Bolivian dish, especially in the eastern regions of Bolivia, such as Santa Cruz, Beni and Pando, where cassava is grown extensively. This is a very popular street food in Santa Cruz. Because cassava has a sweet, nutty flavor when cooked, sonso de yuca is often called a sweet treat. It is usually eaten in the evening with a cup of coffee. 

Sonso de Yuca is a mixture of tapioca mash and local cheese and can be prepared 3 different ways. It can be fried, baked or grilled. Traditionally, the batter is grilled over charcoal on a large bamboo skewer, giving it the characteristic smoky flavor of street food. Some people also bake them in casseroles, or form them into patties and fry them on a griddle, similar to betel nuts.

Ingredients

• 3 lb yuca 
• 1 lb mozzarella (or similar cheese), grated 
• 1 lb hard cheese (e.g. Edam or Gouda), grated 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1½ tablespoon milk (warm) 
• 1 egg , slightly beaten 
• Salt

Preparation

1. Wash the cassava roots thoroughly and peel them, then cut into small cubes. 
2. Rinse under cold water. Place the cassava in a saucepan and cover with cold water, then add salt and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 35 minutes. 
3. Drain and purée cassava with a potato masher. 
4. Mix the yuca and the grated cheeses and knead them by hand. 
5. While kneading, add the butter, egg, and milk gradually. The cheeses are salty, so season lightly with salt. 
6. Knead well until obtaining a homogeneous and slightly firm dough. 
7. Divide the mixture in 8 to 10 balls. 
8. Spread the balls of mashed cassava around half of each skewer, leaving a small empty space at the top of the skewer. 
9. Place the skewers on a hot grill or griddle until the cassava is golden brown. 
10. Once the sonsos de yuca are golden brown and hot, place them on a flat surface to let them cool slightly before eating.

Another popular food, yuca frita is popular in all Latin countries. Fried yucas are eaten with a spicy sauce called llajwa in Eastern Bolivia or as a side to hamburgers and steak, just like the regular fries in the West. Sometimes, they include cheese and choclo, a variety of large kernel corn from the Andes region.

Yuca is not limited to the South American nations. It is highly used in South and Southeast Asia, as well as Africa. In India, tapioca pearls, made from cassava starch are a common ingredient. They are used in desserts like kheer, and they are obviously also used to make boba in the popular Taiwan boba tea (or bubble tea).

As always, I hope this post has been helpful and you have increased your cooking knowledge. If you are interested in learning more about the subject, I invite you to see the other posts we have on the subject, surely you will find one that interests you. and let me know which recipe you would like to know.