Boiled Tapioca with Chili Pepper Sambola / Manyokka samaga Kochchi Sambola

Boiled Tapioca or Manioc is a famous dish in Sri Lanka. This is not only served as a breakfast, even it is served with rice and curry for lunch or dinner. Manioc is commonly called as Manyokka in Sinhalese.

Boiled Manioc/Tapioca well goes with Sri Lankan Lunu Miris, Kochchi Sambola or with any spicy fish curry. Also serve some fresh grated coconut with it.

Manioc can be poisonous if it is not cooked properly. Here are few things to remember if you cook tapioca/Manioc.

1) Don’t cover while cooking.

2) Remove the water after cooking Manioc.

3) Always use fresh manioc for cooking.

4) Add some fresh grated coconut with manioc while eating. Fresh coconut will reduce the harm if there is any food poison.

5) Don’t eat Ginger if you eat Manioc. In Sri Lanka, we believe that Ginger and Manioc together can be poisonous. Even don’t add ginger for your Tea if you cook Manioc.

Below is a photo of a Manioc/Tapioca Plant.

In this recipe, I have cooked boiled manioc with Kochchi Sambola. Kochchi is a very spicy chili pepper from Sri Lanka. Few different Kochchi types can be found in Sri Lanka which is in different colours such as white, red, green or even in purple.

There are few methods for preparing Kochchi Sambol.In this recipe,I have used coconut with it.So, this manioc dish is not served with grated coconut as Kochchi sambola itself contains fresh coconut.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

For Manioc

Fresh Manioc/Tapioca 500g

Enough water to boil

Salt as per taste

For Kochchi Sambola

1 cup fresh grated coconut

2-3 Kochchi (chili pepper) , (Green chili is a substitute)

1/2 tspn red chili powder

1 tspn lime juice

Salt to taste

Method

Peel the skin of Tapioca/Manioc.

Cut into small pieces (2 inch size)

Wash well.

Put all cubes into a pan. Add water and boil until Manioc is cooked well. Don’t cover the pan while cooking.

Once it is cooked remove the water.

Place Manioc in a serving dish.

Meantime, grind all ingredients mentioned under ‘Kochchi Sambola’ except lime juice. Once all grinded into a thin paste, add fresh lime juice and mix well.

Kochchi Sambola is ready to serve.

Serve Boiled Manioc/Tapioca with spicy kochchi sambola.