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Jicama is eaten in most tropical
countries of the world. It requires a very long growing season and
reacts well to hot weather. The tubers store well and can be
incorporated into so many different dishes that it can be eaten almost
daily without tiring of it. And, best of all, one large tuber provides
food for a crowd.
In Mexico they have been using jicama in salads and stews for years.
They serve thin slices of it with tequila, to dip in fresh lime juice
and sprinkle with salt; and they love to pair it with oranges and
onions in a crisp refreshing salad. New Mexican cooks have found how
the delicate, faintly sweet flavor of jicama acts a lot like tofu
absorbing and accentuating other tastes and seasonings without adding
too much of its own.
In China, jicama has long been popular as a crisp alternative to water
chestnuts and I recommend using it as a fresh replacement for canned
water chestnuts in home-cooked Chinese dishes.
In addition to being versatile, jicama is extremely low in calories and
should become a welcome addition to the repertoire of serious dieters.
Sticks of it can be boiled, baked, stewed, or steamed, and seasoned
with fresh herbs, sea salt (my preference over ordinary table salt),
and pepper or hot pepper sauce; and it can be combined with almost any
other kind of vegetable you choose.
Jicama provides a good source of vitamin C and potassium and contains a
moderate amount of fiber. |