Sweet Rice with Yuca Roots (Xôi Khoai Mì)

Most of us have a dish from childhood that follow us throughout our lives. With me,
sweet rice with yucca roots (Xôi Khoai Mì) topped with scallion oil and add a little soy sauce and chili pepper is a dish that I have loved since childhood. However, my mother did not like yucca roots, because she believes that the poison in cassava is not good for health, and consuming a lot of yucca will make us feel dizzy like people feel seasick on the boat. Apparently, according to the web site, Living Strong http://www.livestrong.com/article/158692-yucca-root-health-benefits, yucca is a very healthy root. Even though I enjoy this dish, my mom only made it  when I was very good. For that reason,  Xôi Khoai Mì also became it brings back memories about my mom. Sweet yucca rice dish is actually a very rustic dish and inexpensive to implement. Normally, I do not usually make this dish because I have  go to a Korean or Vietnamese market  to buy yucca. However, yesterday, when I had gone to the newly opened organic supper market – voila! I was surprised then when I saw that yucca was sold there and memories came flooding back,  I  bought 1 lb. of yucca  immediately. However, I still remember mom's advice when making Xôi Khoai Mì that the yucca needs to soak overnight with water so the poison is eliminated before cooking. When I got home, immediately I peeled the yucca skin and soaked it in water so I would be able to prepare the childhoods cassava dish for breakfast today. Hope this recipe will always be a breakfast dish reminiscent of my homeland.

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds of yucca (about 2 yucca roots)
2 cups sweet rice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp mushroom seasoning
Scallions oil ingredients:
3 green onions, sliced
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp sugar
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
Peel and cut yucca into 1/2 inch pieces. Be careful to remove the core; otherwise, it is hard to chew. Soak in water overnight.

Wash the sweet rice a few times until the water is clear and also soak in water overnight.

The next morning place a steamer on the stove over high heat. This step is important to steam the rice.
Drain the yucca and the rice. Add both of them in a bowl or still use the sieve. Add salt and mushroom seasoning. Mix well.

 When the steamer is boiling, add the rice-yucca mixture on to the steamer; Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

 In the last 10 minutes pour 1/4 cup of the hot water over the rice (this method assures that the rice is soft, not dry).
While the rice is cooking, add the scallions in a microwave heatproof bowl. Add salt, sugar, and oil. Place in microwave and cook for 30 or 40 seconds.

To serve:
Scoop the rice-yucca on a serving plate. Top with scallion oil and place some soy sauce on the side.