Jicama, if you have not yet made its acquaintance, is a vegetable you could learn to love, despite its tough, rugged exterior and toxic relatives.
Nicknamed “chop suey yam,” jicama has crossed the globe and is commonly found in Chinese stir-fries and Mexican slaws. It also shows up naked — simply cut into sticks to serve on veggie platters. And fried. And tossed into salads, sandwiches and stews.
I hadn’t hosted a jicama in my home for a while, but recently received an inquiry: “I loved the crunchy potato that my mother used in her stir-fry,” Mary Matayoshi wrote. “She called it the ‘chop suey potato.’ If I find it in the market, I’d like to know ways of using it.”
This got me started. A large, hard globe, jicama needs to be peeled — a sharp knife works better than a vegetable peeler — and sliced. That’s it. The flavor is mild and the texture crisp. It tends to absorb the flavors of whatever you cook it with, making it a good companion.
Beware the relatives, though. The edible part of the jicama plant is the root. The leaves, stem, peel, flowers and seeds all contain a toxin.
It’s generally sold trimmed down to the friendly root, though. Look for jicama in Asian markets or in Chinatown. Your mainstream grocery stores might not have it.
Jicama Slaw
- 3/4 pound jicama, peeled and shredded (about 4 cups)
- 3/4 pound red cabbage, shredded (about 3 cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup finely sliced sweet onion
- 1 small sweet apple, cored and thinly sliced (1 cup)
- 1 chili pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
- 1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves
>> Dressing:
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Combine jicama and cabbage in colander; toss with salt. Let sit 10 minutes to draw out excess liquid. Press to squeeze out liquid. Place in large serving bowl.
Add onion, apple, chili pepper if using and cilantro; toss.
Whisk dressing ingredients together; pour over slaw in bowl and toss (the amount of dressing will seem inadequate, but more liquid will be drawn out of the vegetables). Refrigerate and let flavors merge at least an hour. Toss, taste and adjust seasonings just before serving (a little soy or fish sauce can be added). Serves 6.
Approximate nutritional information (not including soy or fish sauce): 90 calories, 2.5 g fat, no saturated fat or cholesterol, 400 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 1 g protein
Jicama Stir-Fry
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- Thumb-size piece ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 pound jicama, peeled and cut in thin matchsticks (about 2 cups)
- 1/4 cup chicken broth, divided
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1/4 pound green beans, cut on bias (about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- Sliced green onions, for garnish
Heat oil in large skillet or wok over medium-high. Add garlic and ginger; stir until fragrant. Add onions; stir 1 minute. Add jicama; stir, then add half the chicken broth. Stir-fry 2 minutes, then add bell pepper and beans. Stir, then add remaining broth. Stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce. Serve topped with green onion. Serves 6.
Variation: 1/2 pound thinly sliced beef, chicken or pork may be added. Cook first until medium rare and remove from skillet. Proceed with recipe, returning meat to pan at end to heat through.
Approximate nutritional information: 90 calories, 5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 1 g protein
Write “By Request,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813; or email requests to bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com. Nutritonal analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
