Veggie Fact of the Day

The Sweet Jicama

The Jicama (also called Mexican Yam bean) is apparently quite popular in Mexican food. Even with my deep love and devotion for Mexican food, I don't remember having actually eaten it before. It looked a lot like a rather large turnip and when I cut into it, had the crunch of an apple. It is best described as crispy, sweet, edible root. When buying, go for the smaller sizes as those are sweeter and the larger ones are more woody. The Jicama is actually a leguminous plant, with its wines growing to be quite long (up to 20 feet). Each vine ends in the tuberous root which is pictured on the left. Before eating or cooking, the coarse brown outer layer of the tuber should be peeled to reveal the white inside. Jicama are especially rich in potassium and Vitamin C.