Cookbook:Jicama
| Jicama | |
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| Category | Vegetables |
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Ingredients
Jicama (pronounced HIC-uh-muh)[1]—also called Mexican potato/turnip,[1] ahipa, saa got, Chinese potato/turnip, and lo bok—is a tuberous root vegetable.[1][2][3]
Characteristics
[edit | edit source]Jicama looks similar to a turnip[1] or a large round radish, with skin ranging from tan to brown in color.[1][3] The flesh is white,[1] juicy, and crisp,[2][4] with some comparing it to a water chestnut,[3][5] and it does not discolor rapidly when exposed to the air.[1][4] The flavor is fairly neutral with a touch of sweetness.[1][2][5]
Selection and storage
[edit | edit source]Depending on your location, jicama may be available where you purchase vegetables.[3] When purchasing jicama, select tubers that are firm and unblemished with thin skin.[1][2]
Whole jicama will keep for several days at room temperature and up to several weeks in the refrigerator.[1] Cut-up jicama will keep in the fridge—ideally in water—for a few days.[1][3]
Preparation
[edit | edit source]The skin is typically removed before eating jicama.[1][5] If the skin is particularly thick or tough, your best bet is to slice it off with a sharp knife, following the curve of the tuber.[3] Once peeled, it can be broken down as desired.[2][3]
Use
[edit | edit source]It is a popular dietary staple in Latin America and widely grown in Mexico[5] and Central America. It also has a presence in China and the United States.[5] Where available, it can be eaten either raw or cooked.[3][5] In the former case, it is often eaten in salad or as a crudité;[1][4] in the latter, it may be stewed or stir-fried.[1][2][3] When jicama is used in cooking it tends to take on the flavors of the ingredients that it is being combined with.
Substitution
[edit | edit source]Jicama and water chestnut can sometimes be substituted for each other due to their similar textures, though the flavor is different.[4]
Recipes
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Kipfer, Barbara Ann (2012-04-11). The Culinarian: A Kitchen Desk Reference. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-544-18603-3.
- ↑ a b c d e f Labensky, Sarah R.; Hause, Alan M.; Martel, Priscilla (2018-01-18). On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals. Pearson. ISBN 978-0-13-444190-0.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i "Are You in the Jicama Club? Here's Why You Should Join ASAP". Kitchn. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
- ↑ a b c d McGee, Harold (2007-03-20). On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4165-5637-4.
- ↑ a b c d e f Davidson, Alan (2014-01-01). Jaine, Tom (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780199677337.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7.