What: You and jicama, the unsung hero of the vegetable world. Together at last, together forever.
Where: It's originally from Mexico, the root of a native Mexican vine, but you can get it
pretty much anywhere now, including in China and Southeast Asia. In those parts,
it's used in salads, stir-fries, and soups, sometimes as an alternative to water
chestnuts.
Why: Crunch crunch.
Jicama
has a fresh, light taste, a little sweet and sometimes apple-y or pear-like, and it packs one of the produce section's most satisfying crunches. It keeps its color even when exposed to the air for hours (read: party), and packs plenty of vitamin-C and fiber.
How: Look for a firm tuber. Ideally, the skin will be unbruised. Bring it home, peel off the thin brownish skin with a sharp paring knife, and chop chop chop. (Fun: rectangles, circles, triangles, or heart-shaped jicama.) You can eat it raw in salads, dipped in sauces, or in the nude.
That's the jicama, not you.
Or maybe also you.
Okay, you, too. Alternatively, try this recipe:
Jicama Hot-Pepper Salsa
A crunchy, easy-to-make condiment. Every bite highlights the satisfying kick of hot peppers against the coolth of jicama.
The Goods
2 cups jicama, halved, then peeled and diced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Serrano pepper,seeded and minced
1 Thai red pepper, seeded and minced
1 dash, coarse sea salt
The How-To
Combine
the ingredients in a medium-size bowl.
Serve
with things that love to have a condiment nearby: a free-range shredded chicken taco perhaps, or Thai spring rolls (for an Asian flair, add 1 tablespoon of fish sauce to the salsa recipe).