PJ,
There are many types of maniocs and many types of manioc flour and two main types of the thin manioc starch flour. One is called "sweet" manioc starch and the other one is called "sour" manioc starch (polvilho doce) and they are used for different cooking purposes. The "sweet" starch (polvilho doce) is the result of the dried manioc milled while the "sour" one is produced after a quite long process where the manioc is washed and fermented before it is turned into what us, Brazilians, call "sour" starch (polvilho azedo). The "sweet" starch is suitable for cookies (melt aways and sablé style) and cakes while the "sour" starch is suitable for breads like the cheese buns and for hard crunchy biscuits like crackers and another Brazilian classic, "biscoito de polvilho". In places with a larger Brazilian community you can probably find both versions and experiment with them.
Best regards,
Claudia
March 22, 2010 at 7:21pm