Tapioca is cassava starch. This product is obtained from fresh cassava that is grated or finely ground, mixed with water, and then filtered (pressed). The result is liquid and pulp. The liquid is left to settle, and the pulp is discarded or used as animal feed. Once settled, the water is removed, and the starch at the bottom is drained and dried either by sun-drying or using a dryer. Tapioca production can be done at a household scale or on a large industrial scale. Tapioca is most commonly used by the meatball and cracker industries.
Unlike tapioca, cassava refers to cassava flour that still contains its fiber. Cassava powder, also known as gaplek flour, is made from fresh cassava that is peeled, split in half, and then sun-dried. This dried cassava is called gaplek. Gaplek that is milled and stripped of its woody core (called sontrot) is known as cassava powder. In Javanese communities, this flour is processed into tiwul, a traditional rice substitute, by steaming. In modern agro-industries, gaplek flour is mostly used as animal feed, along with corn, soybean meal, and fishmeal. The quality of gaplek flour is difficult to standardize, as it is produced by local communities using varied traditional methods.
Cassava flour is made from fresh cassava. The cassava is peeled, washed clean, and then grated using a large-holed grater, producing what is known as sawut. If this grated cassava is steamed, it becomes sawut, a traditional food substitute for rice. Cassava can also be sliced into chips. In cassava flour production, the grated sawut or chips are sun-dried and then finely milled. Alternatively, the sawut can be pressed first to extract the starch, and the remaining pulp is then dried. Once dried, the sawut is ground and mixed with the previously extracted starch.
Cassava flour is a relatively new product in Indonesia. Traditionally, only tapioca and gaplek flour were known and used in various food preparations. In fact, these products can serve as substitutes for wheat flour in several food applications. Why? Because we still import wheat!
Wheat flour cannot be entirely replaced, due to its gluten content. Gluten is essential in traditional noodles made by hand-pulling, as well as in savory pastries like martabak (stuffed pancake) and high-quality sandwich bread. However, for products like cookies, sweet breads, and brownies, wheat flour can be substituted. The closest alternative is cassava flour, because in terms of texture, color, and taste, it closely resembles wheat flour. The only difference is the absence of gluten, which makes cassava flour unsuitable for making martabak wrappers.
Another substitute is MOCAF flour. This is also made from cassava, but the production process is slightly different from the ones described above.
Stay tuned for more information about MOCAF.
Sumber: https://ketahananpangan.boyolali.go.id