This insanely delicious Masala Mogo/Cassava is a lip-smacking and sensational starter or a snack. Deep-fried mogo/cassava in a sweet, spicy garlicky sauce, excellent with chilled drinks. This is a straightforward recipe and packs a serious flavour punch. Making this meal couldn’t be easier!
MASALA MOGO
WHAT IS MOGO/CASSAVA?
Mogo/Mohgo or Cassava is the starchy root that is a staple in Africa , In Spanish speaking countries known as Yucca and Kappa or tapioca in South India.
Mogo is a nutritious root which grows underground, and it has higher protein than white potatoes. It is a great source of zinc, iron, magnesium, copper and potassium.
MOGO AND EAST AFRICAN ASIANS
Maybe for the western world, Mogo is a new kid on the block but Asians who lived in Africa know it inside out.
The word MOGO lightens up their ( read as my DAD and his family) eyes and evokes their tastebuds and reminds them of their time in Africa, which at one time it was their home.
Whenever there is a food topic, they would never forget to mention Matoke and Mogo and shows fondness of these two. Until now, I have never met anyone who doesn’t like Mogo!
MASALA MOGO
Although those African mogo recipes were EFFORTLESS and easy to cook, traditionally the mogo was deep fried, barbecued or it was cooked as a dry curry similar to the dry potato curry.
Also, stews were typically made in Africa with mogo adding coconut milk. All these dishes were so unique in Africa and childhood favourites of the people who grew up there.
Currently, the Indian restaurants in the UK serve the mogo in the form of crisps, chips and also Garlic Chilli Mogo including tandoori flavour and the popular Masala Mogo dish as a starter.
We would never leave a chance to enjoy a good Mogo dish. In my household verities of mogo recipes are made in a rotation, so you don’t get bored with one type of mogo recipe.
Masala Mogo is a vegan lip-smacking appetizer that is prepared with deep fried cassava chips tossed in a sweet and spicy Indo-Chinese style sauce ( Chilli+Soy Sauce ). This dish is a no brainer!
More Mogo/Cassava recipes which are also our favourite too Tandoori Mogo Chilli Mogo – Mogo with schezwan sauce Mogo and Peanut Stirfry (Bhaji) Farali Mogo Vada
Mogo Chips 65
CAN I AVOID DEEP FRY
If you are trying this recipe the first time, I recommend you to deep fry the mogo, by all means, you can avoid deep frying. Either bake in the oven or shallow fry in the non-stick pan with very little oil until lightly golden.
INGREDIENTS
- CASSAVA – Fresh or Frozen 2. Oil for deep fry 3. Garlic 4. Spring onion 5. Hot Chilli sauce, Sweet Chilli sauce and Chilli Garlic sauce 6. Dark Soy Sauce 7. Freshly ground black pepper
HOW TO MAKE MASALA MOGO STEP BY STEP AND VIDEO
1+2. If you are using fresh cassava then peel and cut it into chips then boil it in the salted water until tender. I have used frozen cassava chips and boiled in salted water. 3. Drain the water and leave it to cool. 4. Heat the oil in a kadai or pan and deep fry the boiled cassava chips until it turns light pink.
- Heat one TBSP oil and add finely chopped garlic, fry until light pink. 6. Add all the sauces and a very little salt ( all the sauces has salt included ) 7. Mix well, add fried cassava and mix until all the chips are coated with the sauce. 8. Turn off the heat, sprinkle finely chopped spring onion and fresh coriander leaves.
Other East-African Recipes
- Sweetcorn and peanut curry (kasoli and Jugu nu saak) 2. Kenyan style chevdo 3. Red kidney bean and sweetcorn curry
Masala Mogo/Cassava
ingredients
- 1 packet Mogo chips ( I have used frozen )
- Oil for deep fry + 2 TBSP more
- 4-5 garlic cloves minced
- 2 TBSP Hot chilli sauce
- 2 TBSP Sweet chilli sauce
- 1 TBSP Chilli garlic sauce
- 2 TBSP Dark soy sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Finely chopped spring onion and coriander
- Mixed leaf salad to serve with
instructions
- Boil mogo chips in boiling water for 15-20 minutes with little salt and oil.
- Remove them and leave it aside.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom kadai and fry mogo chips till they turn light brown
- In another pan heat 2tsp oil and add minced garlic for few seconds, add all the sauce ( according to your taste ) and mix very well.
- Now add crushed black pepper and fried mogo chips.
- Stir well, make sure sauce is well coated on the chips.
- Garnish with onion and coriander and serve hot.
- Enjoy as much as my family does.
Note:- This post was originally posted in January 2010 but I have updated the post since with newer photos and content.
Crispy and delicious Chilli, Garlic and Lime Mogo/Cassava Chips are prepared in the air fryer. This vegan recipe requires just a small amount of oil but packs plenty of flavour. This is an easy cassava or yucca recipe that you are going to love!
Chilli Garlic and Lime Mogo
Mogo or cassava is flavoured with red chilli powder, garlic and lime juice and air-fried to perfection. The result is crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy in the middle mogo that soothes my love for East-African Indian food.
Mogo is boiled in flavoured water before it is tossed in a finger licking chilli, garlic and lime oil and air-fried. Maximum flavour for maximum results!
What is an Airfryer?
An air fryer is a countertop electric kitchen appliance that cooks food by circulating hot air around it at high speed, which produces crispy food in a fraction of the time it would take in a regular oven. Food cooked in an air fryer is healthy because you only need a small amount of oil without compromising on its taste. The best part is that air fried food gets crispy mirroring the effects of deep frying!
As soon we owned an air fryer this recipe was one of the first on the menu! I absolutely love mogo recipes and these are some of my favourites:
Masala Mogo / Cassava
Farali Mogo / Cassava Vada
Farali Mogo / Cassava and Peanut Bhaji-stir fry
Tandoori Mogo / Cassava
Usually, mogo chips (a thicker version of fries) are prepared by deep frying plain boiled cassava chips. The crispy chips are then served hot with tamarind chutney or with a sprinkle of red chilli powder and salt.
These mogo chips are a huge air fryer win. An excellent balance of spicy and tangy flavours, these nice crispy chips get a nice flavour from garlic, chilli and lime. They make a deliciously healthy snack anytime. And the best part, no one in the house could tell these were air fried!
Whip up these delicious cassava chips/fries in your air fryer. Making mogo chips in the air fryer is far better healthier than deep frying, less fat and calories, without sacrificing taste.
Make sure you make plenty as you’ll see vanishing them so quickly!
Chilli Garlic Mogo Chips Ingredients
- Mogo – mogo is also known as cassava or yuca. It is available in fresh and frozen forms. I have used frozen mogo because it is already prepared into chips or chunks.
- Chilli – you will need red chilli powder and chilli flakes. If you only have one or the other then that is fine
- Garlic – I have used garlic powder which are much simpler to work You can also use garlic granules. You could use pounded fresh garlic.
- Lime – you need the zest and juice of a lime. Use lemon as an alternative
- Oil – oil is needed when boiling the mogo and also for air frying. I have used olive oil
- Turmeric powder – (optional) to give a yellow hue to the mogo.
How to make Garlic Lime and Chilli Mogo without frying
Fill the big pan with water, add turmeric powder, salt, oil, garlic powder and lime juice.
Bring it to boil, add mogo chips ( I used frozen )
Boil the chips until tender.
Discard the water and let the chips cool for 10-12 minutes.
If chips are too big cut them into smaller and thinner.
Stir together a teaspoon of oil, red chilli powder, dried red chilli flakes, garlic powder, lime zest and juice and salt.
Mix everything, add boiled mogo chips and combine everything, make sure all the chips are coated with the masala mix.
Preheat the air fryer at 205C for 5 minutes.
Place mogo chips in a single layer in the basket and cook 205C for 12 minutes. Shake chips over halfway through cooking.
If you do not own an air-fryer, you can bake the mogo instead.
Bake in the centre of a preheated oven at 200C for 15 minutes.
Chilli, Garlic and Lime Mogo Chips
ingredients
500g mogo chips
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 TBSP. lime juice
1/2 tsp. oil
2 ltr. water
1 tsp. red chilli powder
Pinch dried chilli flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. lime zest
1 tsp. oil
Finely chopped coriander leaves
Lime wedges
Tomato ketchup or similar sauce
instructions
In a big pan add water and all the mentioned ingredients except mogo chips.
Bring it to boil.
Add mogo chips and boil till done. ( It will take 8-10 minutes )
Drain the water and let the mogo chips cool for 7-8 minutes.
Stir in all the ingredients in a bowl.
Add cooled mogo chips and mix.
Make sure all the chips are well coated.
Place chips in the air fryers basket.
Preheat the cosori air fryer for 5 minutes on 205C.
Once the fryer is ready, put chips in the basket and cook it on press the preset function ‘Root Vegetables’
The machine will automatically set the time and temperature.
It will be on 205C for 12 minutes.
The SHAKE reminder will come halfway through cooking.
Shake the basket for even cooking and again start cooking the chips.
Once done, remove the chips.
Serve HOT on a serving plate, garnish it with coriander and serve with lime wedges and sauce.
Enjoy!
NOTES:
Don't have lime juice? use lemon juice instead.
