ENTRY: maniva
CLASS: noun
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Manihot esculenta
EQUIVALENT: maniva, cassava leaves, manioc leaves
DEFINITION: Bright green leaves of the manioc plant which are ground and cooked before becoming edible.
EXAMPLE: Grind the maniva leaves in a meat grinder.
SOURCE: Brasil: Gastronomia, Cultura e Turismo
COMMENT: The manioc leaves, which can be picked at any time during the growth of the plant, must be used the same day because they deteriorate fast. Due to the hydrocyanic acid present in these leaves, they must be cooked for a long time before being added to dishes such as maniçoba, a meat and giblet stew. Ground and pureed maniva can be found at local markets in major Amazonian towns. Place the ground maniva leaves in a basin and wash thoroughly and repeatedly, alternately washing and straining through a sieve several times.