Cassava. Cassava (Manihot esculenta), is also called manioc, yuca, balinghoy or kamoteng kahoy (in the Philippines), mogo (in Africa), mandioca, tapioca-root (predominantly in India) and manioc root, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates.
It differs from the similarly spelled yucca, an unrelated fruit-bearing shrub in the Asparagaceae family. Cassava, when dried to a powdery (or pearly) extract, is called tapioca; its fermented, flaky version is named garri. Sierra Leone Women's Cooking Demonstration. Cassava recipes. Sierra Leone Recipe: Cassava Leaf Plassas. Cassava.