Jícama what? Never heard of this vegetables? I hadn't either until recently. Though I had seen this root vegetable on the local market, I thought it was some kind of a sugar beet and never paid much attention to it. But then I saw it on a menu in a restaurant in town and after a quick google search, I realized the markets are packed with it. And it's super cheap too.
What the heck are Jícamas
Jícama (pronounced hee-cama), aka Mexican yam bean or Mexican turnip - is a native Mexican vine which produces an edible tuberous root. It can be intimidating If you haven’t been formally introduced to the whole vegetable. And just like me you probably don’t know what you are looking for.
Or maybe you did know the root vegetable but totally forgot about it. For some reason, it’s easy to forget how juicy, crunchy, and exciting they are. This wonderfully juicy, sweet, and nutty tuber with a distinct crunch often makes it the forgotten vegetable lists and that's actually a real shame. Though it is most commonly enjoyed raw, you can cook jícama, too. We recently made jícama mashed potatoes and added it to a stew too.
If you wonder what it tastes like, then the best description I can give is, it tastes like a savory, crunchy apple.
Though it might be too exotic to find at your local farmers market, since it is native to central America and Asia, a lot of supermarkets are now selling this forgotten vegetable. And if they don't have it, try Mexican, Latin American, or Asian markets. I'm sure you'll find this yummy and crunchy vegetable there.
Nutritional value
Jícama is made out of 86 percent to 90 percent water. It’s low in calories, natural sugars, and starch. It has a low score on the glycemic index (GI) and is a good source of immune system-boosting nutrients such as vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and fiber.
Jicama contains a beneficial type of prebiotic fructan carbohydrate or a fiber called oligofructose inulin. Humans are not able to digest this fiber and it ferments in the gut where it acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics help probiotics (or the “good bacteria” living in our gut) do their job best.
And as you may or may not know, good health starts in our gut! And our gut flora plays a key role it that.
A one-cup serving of sliced raw jicama packs:
- 49 calories
- 0 fat
- 6 grams fiber
- 1 gram protein
- 11 grams carbs
- 2 grams sugar
- 2 milligrams vitamin C (40 percent DV)
- 7 milligrams iron (4 percent DV)
- 4 milligrams magnesium (4 percent DV)
- 4 micrograms folate (4 percent DV)
- 180 milligrams potassium (5 percent DV)
- 1 milligram manganese (4 percent DV)
Jícama & Pomelo Salad with Spicy Thai Dressing
Ingredients (serves 2)
For the dressing
1 lime, juice only
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1/2-1 tsp chili paste, or to taste
FYI: CLICK HERE to learn how to make your own chili paste.
For the salad
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 cup shredded white cabbage
1 cup jícama; peeled and finely chopped in matchsticks
1/2 big pomelo; peeled, segmented and chopped
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
FYI: if you can't find a pomelo, grapefruit works too.
Directions
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk well to combine. Set aside.
- Cut all salad ingredients and combine in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
- Divide salad over plates or bowls. Top with roasted sunflower seeds and drizzle with Thai dressing.
Bon Appétit
ALL CONTENT IS MINE AND ORIGINAL!
PICTURE(s) TAKEN WITH FUJI X-M1
That looks awesome I love spicy food , You keep sharing this stuff im going to follow for more :)
Thanks @bitcoinman! We love our spices too.
You just made a perfect salad out of something new , creative !! :D
So many wonderful veggies and fruits to discover every day! Thanks for your comment Farwa!
I do not know this vegetable
Is so yum! Taste like an apple. If you ever come across it, give it a try ;) Thanks for stopping by!
I live in a region where jicamas are common and I absolutely love them. (It's the pomelos I'd never heard of.)
Even I didn't know all this neat stuff about jicamas though. What an interesting addition to your post! (I've resteemed you so I know where to find this again. I'm too new to do you any good as far as exposure, but gimme time. [grin] )
I've also followed you, 'cause you must have done a good job on something else that impressed me. (That's how I found this. It was already in my stream.)
So bravo on the good work, kiddo! You must be doing something right!
Lol thank you so much for your comment and support @enchantedspirit! Where do you live? Maybe you have pomelos there too. Although they are quite similar to grapefruit, they are so much better. But that's my humble opinion. I hope you get to try them one day. Have a wonderful day ;)
Sounds tasty, I love pomelo.
Same here! they are so good in salad, smoothie or on its own. Have a lovely day!
Ooh jicama is one of my faves! I love it cut into sticks and dipped in mashed avocado and lime juice! Your salad looks yummm!
It was very delicious!
I never knew of this root vegetable before @amy-goodrich, thanks for so much info on it! Unfortunately I will not find it here!
The texture like you described seems really very interesting to use!
Nice one again!
We love it! I'll bring you some when we come over to Mauritius ;)
Oh that's so nice of you my dear friend! You are just awesome!
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wow, look great. Do you have a favourite salat cream? good one
I love avocado dressing and peanut butter dressings. Think they are my two favorites. Ohh wait mango dressing is pretty amazing too. But they are out of season now. Thanks for stopping by!
Great tips, I always appreciate your taste..thanks for sharing
Always a pleasure.
i've tried this salad some time ago and it really surprised me. thanks for reminding me :)
My pleasure. Always happy to spread the veggie and fruit word. Thanks for stopping by!
Ooh this looks like a wild exotic salad. Love it! I don't know if I've ever seen pomelo in Canada before, so I might have to opt for the grapefruit ;) Very creative recipe @amy-goodrich!
In Belgium some grocery store or Asian markets had it but it will taste great with grapefruit too. Thanks for stopping by ;)
Yum!! This looks so good! I love spicy & salads. Just looked and found a website here in New Zealand selling organic Jicama seeds, yay. Can't wait to try it
Thanks @kaykunoichi! We love them.