Jicama Tips

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(Pronounced Hicama) The Jicama plant is a vine which grows to a length of 6 mtrs or more. Plant produces tall climbing vines and a white turnip shaped root that tastes like water chestnuts. The large tuberous roots can be eaten raw or cooked and are used as a source of starch. The roots are light brown in colour, and may weigh up to 50 pounds. Most of those on the market will weigh between three to five pounds. Only one root forms per plant. Store in cool dry place after harvest.

Planting Instructions: Soak seeds overnight in warm water (8 to 15 hours). Plant seeds 1″ deep every 2 ½ feet. Requires sunny area in garden and allow room for vines to spread. Requires a well prepared soil. Use general purpose fertilizer when preparing soil. Seeds require warmth to germinate. Germination: 12-18 days at 21°C. Recipes:  Terry from Mexico reports: They make a fruit salad using pineapple, jicama and very fresh coconut meat. Nothing else – great taste. Another is “jicama dulce”, jicama boiled in molasses syrup. Very different but very tasty – would have added some spices to the syrup though.

Sheryl:  Jicama is worth growing/buying. Look for it at Chinese Supermarkets. I prefer it raw.

Below is some information from http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/  It’s hard to find jicama, even though it’s sometimes available in Asian suburbs. It’s called “yam” by the Vietnamese. However through research I’ve found an Australian substitute – baby boab tubers. No kidding. This is not spam. 1 kg from Astrids Bush Tucker is $16.00. Since jicama can be used for raw mock potato salad, raw mock mashed potatoes, raw fries, and raw “garlic bread rounds”, I’m excited!!! Most of these indigenous herbs, fruits and spices are ancient superfoods in their own right, in addition to being sustainable and wild crafted and hand harvested. Most often by indigenous people in their own communities out in the desert but they only grow with exactly the right conditions.http://astridsbushtucker.com/abtnews…roducts_id=106

For more information about boab tubers: http://www.boabsinthekimberley.com.a…2march2006.pdf  Baby boabs are the seedling stage of the large boab trees found in the Kimberley region. The seed of the fruit found in pods attached to the tree is planted and then grown for approximately 16 weeks depending on the season. This produces a tuber up to 30 centimetres long, with fresh, succulent, edible leaves on top. The boab tubers are very versatile and can be used in most dishes both raw and cooked. The texture of the tubers are crisp and crunchy like that of a water chestnut but with a refreshing taste that can adapt to the other flavours of any recipe. The leaves have a nutty flavour unlike that of any other salad vegetable and can be used in salads or a garnish. Nutritionally the boab tubers are high in iron and potassium, with a high level of protein (for a vegetable) and fibre and a relatively low fat content. The boab leaves are high in vitamins A & C.   Ref: Carla