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Glossário Culinário

Cassava Starch (Polvilho)

Ingrediente

Também chamado de
cassava starch, tapioca gum

Cassava starch (polvilho) is the starch extracted from cassava, a fine white powder that is the soul of pão de queijo, polvilho crackers and chipa. It is what gives these recipes a crisp crust outside and a stretchy, airy crumb inside, the trademark of Minas Gerais snacks. Naturally gluten-free, it is the base of many recipes for those who avoid wheat.

Characteristics

There are two types, which behave quite differently in the oven:

  • Sweet cassava starch: yields denser, softer doughs, used in fluffy cheese breads, cakes and puddings.
  • Sour cassava starch: undergoes natural fermentation before drying, expands more in the oven and gives the crunchy pop of polvilho crackers and chipa.

Many recipes mix both to balance rise and softness. Cassava starch absorbs hot liquids well, which is why almost every recipe starts with scalding: boiling water or milk with oil poured over the powder.

Uses in the kitchen

It is the central ingredient of pão de queijo, polvilho crackers, chipa and skillet cheese bread, besides thickening broths and adding crunch to breadings. Mixed with cheese, it makes Paraguayan soup and savory party cakes for June festivals. In cheese-free versions, it pairs with mashed sweet potato or mandioquinha for soft rolls.

Substitutions

Sweet starch can replace sour starch and vice versa, but the texture changes: with sweet only, the cheese bread turns more compact; with sour only, hollower and crunchier. Potato starch and cornstarch thicken broths the same way but do not reproduce the elasticity of cheese bread. Hydrated tapioca gum makes similar crepes in the skillet, with a different bite.

Fun facts

The pop of the polvilho cracker comes from steam trapped in the dough, so the oven must be very hot before baking. Starch sitting around too long loses strength, so check the expiration date to avoid dense cheese bread. Store in a tightly closed container away from moisture, as it cakes easily and forms lumps that are hard to dissolve.

Recipes with cassava starch

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