Sysal Sysal is a grass that grows wild across Antilia. It produces small seeds that can be eaten on their own or milled into flour and used to bake bread. Sysal is farmed by the Taipii and a staple food in their diet.

Varieties of Sysal

White Sysal

White Sysal seeds have a green outer seed casing and a bright white interior. White sysal is a staple crop for Taipii farmers. White sysal is preferred for milling and produces a very fine white flour perfect for bread.

Gold Sysal

Gold Sysal is very similar in flavor and use as White Sysal, but with a brown seed casing and a yellowed off-white marbled interior. When milled the resulting flour is not as fine as white sysal, but still quite suitable for producing bread. Gold Sysal is typically regarded as a cheaper, lower-grade alternative to white sysal and farmers will often try to remove it from their fields.

Blue Sysal

Blue Sysal seeds have a dark blue casing and a white and blue marbled interior. When milled the flour appears white with fine blue specs, and can easily be confused with white sysal flour by the inexperienced. Blue Sysal is a popular crop for Taipii farmers. Blue Sysal is much sweeter in flavor than white sysal, and is used in the baking of cakes and confections.

Red Sysal

Seeds from Red Sysal have a distinct and pleasant nutty flavor. When eaten on their own Red Sysal seeds are traditionally seasoned with a little salt and a dusting of chalakii spice to compliment and enhance their nutty flavor.

Red Sysal is sometimes milled to produce a dull pinkish flour, and typically complemented with fruits and nuts to bake Red Fruit Bread or cookies. These breads are a popular comfort food in Lantros and central to several Lantros regional competitions and customs.

Uses of Sysal

Seeds

Raw sysal seeds are a commonly consumed snack for the Taipii. Red sysal seeds are typically flavored with salt and chalakii, while Blue Seeds are enjoyed by younger Taipii for their sweet flavor. White seeds (which appear green on the exterior) have the mildest flavor, and are less common on their own without additional flavoring is added.

Flour

All sysal seeds can be milled into flour, which combined with other ingredients can be used to bake breads and cakes. White seeds produce a fine general purpose flour, as does gold sysal (although generally regarded as a lower grade). Red flour is used for baking hearty fruit and nut breads, while blue is used for cakes and confections.

Preservation and Storage

Sysal seeds should be stored in a cool, dry place. Seeds can be safely stored in a cool dry place for several years without spoiling. If the seeds become wet or are left in humid air for a time they will spoil.

Sysal flour can be stored for a time, but spoils faster than the raw seeds. While there are numerous windmills in Lantros used for the production of Sysal flour, most of the grain which is exported from the region is done so in seed form, then milled when it arrives at its destination.