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FOOD RESOURCE
COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES, OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

BISCUITROOT (cous or cowas)


Berzok, Lindsa Murray. 2005. American Indian Food. Food in American History. Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut.
fleshy roots that were an important food of the western indians.
Berzok, Lindsa Murray. 2005. American Indian Food. Food in American History. Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut.
These fleshy roots were known among Indians as cous or cowas. They were an important food of the Western Indians, and served as chief articles of trade; Lewis and Clark mention echanging with Native peoples for a supply of "cows," and they certainly were not referring to animals.[31] Wholesome and nutritious biscuitroot was peeled, dried and ground into flour, which was sometimes made into traveling flat cakes.

Developed by researchers at Oregon State University in the Department of Foods and Nutrition

A variety of biscuit root, grows on dry, rocky hillsides and flats. It ripens in April and is dug after the seeds are formed, at which time it is easy to peel. It is cooked fresh as a vegetable or it may be dried whole by the same procedure as for bitter root. It may be ground, usually in a food chopper, and then spread out for drying. The small dry pellets are stirred into hot liquids (soups or meat broths) and serve as a slight thickening like potatoes or meal. In this ground form it is more readily usable than when dried whole. However, hunters like to slip a handful of the whole dried root in their pockets for snacks. Nutritionally a one-cup serving of fresh coush provides about one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin C. The value decreases in the frozen product over long periods of storage and is lost completely so far as the dried product is concerned. Biscuit root contains amounts of iron that may make significant contributions to the diet. One cup provides about one-third the Recommended Dietary Allowance for a man and about one-fifth the allowance for a woman.


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