What exactly is jicama, and can anyone describe what it tastes like?

Question

I have this recipe for a corn, jicama, and mango salad and was wondering what jicama was.

Answer 1

The jicama, the part we eat, is the root of the jicama plant. The outside has a potato like covering, once peeled the white interior is revealed. It has a sandy texture, crunchy but not very hard, and has a very neutral taste. It tastes slightly sweet and very moist.

The jícama plant is a vine native to the tropical Americas that can reach a height of 4-5 m given suitable support. Its root can attain lengths of up to 2 m and weigh up to 20 kg. The root's exterior is yellow and papery, while its inside is creamy white with a crisp texture that resembles that of a raw potato or pear. The flavor is sweet and starchy. It is usually eaten raw, sometimes with salt, lemon juice, and powdered chile. It is also cooked in soups and stir-fried dishes. Notable raw jícama dishes in China and Southeast Asia include popiah and salads such as yusheng and rojak.

In contrast to the root, the remainder of the jícama plant is very poisonous; the seeds contain the toxin rotenone, which is used to poison insects and fish.

Jícama is high in carbohydrates in the form of dietary fiber. It is composed of 86-90% water; it contains only trace amounts of protein and lipids. Its sweet flavor comes from the oligofructose inulin (also called fructo-oligosaccharide), which the human body does not metabolize; this makes the root an ideal sweet snack for diabetics and dieters.

The jícama is today also cultivated in warmer parts of China and Southeast Asia.

Jícama should be stored dry, between 12 °C to 16 °C (53 °F to 60 °F); colder temperatures will damage the root. A fresh root stored at an appropriate temperature will keep for a month or two.

Answer 2

Is Jicama A Fruit

Answer 3

Jicama is a starchy root veggie with a slight natural sweet taste.
Here in Mexico we eat it many different ways. Raw with perhaps some salsa en plovo (chili powder, salt dried, lime) on it. Or it can be cooked in stew type dishes like you would a potato.
You really should try the salad recipe it sounds very good...what is the worst that can happen? You don't like jicama but you tried something new.
Nothing like broadening your horizons!

Answer 4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jicama

http://www.foodreference.com/html/art-jicama-history-facts.html

Jicama belongs to the legume or bean family (Fabaceae). It is a popular dietary staple in Latin America and widely grown in Mexico and Central America. There are many names for Jicama including: the Mexican potato, Mexican yam bean, ahipa, saa got, Chinese turnip, lo bok, and the Chinese potato.

Jicama looks similar to a turnip or a large radish, and it can be used as an alternative to the water chestnut. Its skin is thin and can be gray, tan, or brown in color. Additionally, it has a short root and contains white flesh. The skin is typically peeled before eating it raw. Raw jicama tastes similar to a pear or apple. It also does not discolor when exposed to the open air for awhile. Because of this, raw jicama is often used as an accompaniment to raw vegetable platters. When jicama is used in cooking it tends to take on the flavors of the ingredients that it is being combined with. Therefore, jicama is a nice complement to various stir-fry dishes because it blends well with many vegetables and seasonings.

Jicama is a very versatile vegetable that contains a high amount of vitamin C, is low in sodium, and has no fat. One adult serving of jicama, which is equal to approximately 1 cup of cubed jicama or 120 grams, also contains only 45 calories.

Jicama is available year-round. When purchasing jicama, select tubers that are firm and have dry roots. Make sure that the jicama has an unblemished skin and that is not bruised. Once purchased, store jicama for up to two weeks in a plastic bag in your refrigerator.

Serving Size (60g)
Amounts Per Serving % Daily Value *
Calories 25
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g 0%
Sodium 0mg 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 1g
Protein 0g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 20%
Calcium 0%
Iron 2%

Answer 5

It's a big roundish root vegetable. It looks a little like a large potato. Once you peel the thick skin, the inside has a texture like a water chestnut. The taste is fantastic. Very watery and a little sweet.
I usually eat jicama plain and raw cut into slices. But its crunchy texture and gentle taste works very well in a salad. It's also nice in a stir fry.
They don't seem to last very long in the fridge.

Answer 6

I always describe jicama to my students as a cross between an apple and a potato.

It's a root with a white flesh, that has a texture like a cross between an apple and a potato. It has a very crisp, clean, neutral flavor. It's great in salads, pickled, and even slightly sauteed with other vegetables.

Personally i love the stuff.

Answer 7

Jicama is a root vegetable that is mild in flavor. It's texture crunchy and similar to a pear or water chestnut.

Answer 8

A crisp texture that resembles that of a raw potato or pear.

Jícama
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The jícama plant is a vine native to the tropical Americas that can reach a height of 4-5 m given suitable support. Its root can attain lengths of up to 2 m and weigh up to 20 kg.

Answer 9

What Is Jicama

Answer 10

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