Indonesia: Traditional Cassava Tapai Recipe and Cinnamon Household Uses

In Indonesia, a sweet cassava tapai can be made without added sugar by fermenting fresh cassava with tapai yeast. The natural fermentation converts starch into simple sugars, giving the dish its characteristic sweetness and soft texture. The process requires selecting quality cassava, steaming or boiling it, cooling, evenly applying the yeast, and allowing it to ferment at room temperature for two to three days.

Cinnamon, a common Indonesian spice, also offers several household benefits. Its strong aroma repels ants and other small insects, masks unpleasant odors when boiled in water, and can help inhibit fungal growth on plant media. Cinnamon sticks or essential oil may be placed in closets to keep them fragrant, and the spice can be used to reduce odors in trash bins. These uses rely on cinnamon’s antimicrobial and aromatic properties.