As an East African, I have a special place in my heart for Mogo. While many here in the US  had not heard of it until recently, cassava/yuca is a staple food throughout Africa, Asia and Latin Americas. 

Ask anyone from these parts of the world, and they will eagerly give you a traditional Muhogo/Mogo/Yuca family favorite recipe.   

My memories of having Sekelo Mogo(cassava roasted over open fire) with salt and chilli powder and freshly squeezed lemon wrapped in a newspaper, bought from the street vendors sitting on the pavements outside our building on Sundays, or the farali mogo na bajiya or nariyal waro mogo makes me nostalgic for the good old days back home.

Interesting fact I read that the resistant starch in yuca actually goes through most of the digestive tract undigested, so about 20% of yuca’s carbs and calories do not count!  – You read that right!  Yuca(n) party on (sorry!).

My must have ingredient for this Chilli Mogo or my Chilli Paneer is the use of Maggi Seasoning Sauce- it’s that ingredient that gives the mogo the  depth of flavor and brings a pop of umami to this Indo-Chinese appetizer recipe.

Ingredients:

• 6-7 pieces (about 2.5 lbs. or 1kg) raw or frozen pieces of Mogo/Cassava/Yuca (I used frozen Goya Yuca)
• 1 medium red onion cut into 4 segments, then cut each segment into 2 more to make them petal-sized pieces. Pull apart the onion layers. Now you have onion petals!
• 1 tsp crushed garlic (optional)
• 2 Thai hot peppers or Jalapeno chilies sliced thinly
• Tri colored bell (capsicums) peppers/Red/Yellow or Orange/Green (cut these into medium sticks or dices/diamond shaped)
• 1 Spring onion, slice the white part and cut the green part in bias cut for garnish
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. Maggi Seasoning Sauce
• 1 tsp. White vinegar
• 1 tsp. Sriracha sauce or Chilli Garlic sauce or other Chilli sauce
• 3 tbsp. Tomato ketchup
• 1/2 Pink Himalayan Salt (add last after tasting sauce)
• Black pepper (Optional)
• Oil for deep-frying + 2 TBSP more for sauté

Method:

1. Boil the Mogo with a tsp. of salt for 10-15 minutes until a knife runs through (I used my Instant Pot and pressure cooked it for 6 minutes) then drain.
2. Once Mogo has cooled, cut each piece into 4 pieces lengthwise (like chips).
3. Fry the Mogo in hot oil (so that the Mogo stays soft and in the middle but forms the perfect crispy top) you can also Air-fry it for 4 minutes.
4. In a wok heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the onion petals, (add chopped garlic and green chilies if using).
5. Add in the tri-colored bell peppers and the white spring onion and stir-fry for a few minutes.
6.  Add the Tomato Ketchup, Chilli Sauce and vinegar.
7. Pour in the Soy sauce on the sides of the wok so that as it slides down it caramelizes slightly.
8. Add the Mogo chips and black pepper and stir well, making sure sauce is coating the Mogo chips and add the Maggi Seasoning Sauce.
9. Taste to see if you need any salt or heat and adjust accordingly.
10. Garnish with spring onion greens bias cut.