What do you know about Jicama?

"Jicama is sometimes called a Mexican potato. It is, after all, a root vegetable with a light brown skin and white flesh, and, when cooked, it's sort of like a potato in texture. Unlike a potato, though, it is just as delicious raw as cooked. Raw jicama is very crisp, with an apple-like, nutty flavor."


Here's a GREAT link to a cute description of this funny looking root... along with a photo!
<a href="http://www.sallys-place.com/food/columns/ferray_fiszer/jicama.htm">JICAMA</a>


Well, the reason I am starting this thread is because when I first started the Atkins- I read somewhere that Jicama was a decent potato substitute. So, for the last 3 months, I have been on a Jicama hunt. I found it tonight!

I decided to make Scalloped Jicama... or you may call it Jicama Au Gratin. I sliced the Jicama (about 1 lb worth) and boiled it for about 25 minutes on the stove top, medium heat. Then, I made up a cheese sauce, with cream and sharp cheddar cheese. I added salt n pepper, and a bit of worchestire sauce for a kick. Then I drained the Jicama, layered it in a baking dish, topped with the cheese sauce, left over shredded cheese, and Keto bread crumbs (just a sprinkling). Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes (I covered with foil, then took off the foil for an additional 10 minutes).

I am just about to taste it... and I will post here and let you know how it turned out.

I have high hopes!!

Ok, well I ended up cooking it for a good hour. The cheese sauce was FABULOUS... the jicama was still crunchy like apples. I had to warn Mike (my bf) to remember it was crunchy... because my first bite reminded me of under cooked potatoes... and it really turned my stomach.

I am thinking that I may need to boil them MUCH longer... some of the thin slices of jicama were soft like a potato would be... but most of them were still sweet and crunchy.

Mike, surprisingly, ate all that I put on his plate. I ended up licking off the cheeese...



We still have half the Jicama left over... so next I am either going to try to MASH it... or roast it. I found recipes for both.

but again, I am going to boil it LONGER to begin with.

I was wondering if you knew the cals and carb count for Jicama? I tasted some this weekend and want to try it for a substitute for mashed potato.
Thanks,
Pokey

read somewhere that it was 4 carbs per cup... Actually... it was on the jicama itself. But, let me confirm that. I've thrown away the sticker... I'll try to find it!

SupahSteph, I just read on one site that jicama when cooked, retains its crisp, water chestnut-type texture. So that's probably why your scalloped jicama was not soft.

I just bought one and I'm intending to use it as a crunchy thing to put in dip. Not sure what kind yet, I'm going to experiment. Has anyone used jicama as a crunchy snack food? If so what did you do to it? Something that sounds good to me is grilling it.

I saw on another page how you slice it into 1/2" strips and brush it with olive oil and something like cajun spice and then grill it (or put it under the broiler). Sounds yummy. I'll let y'all know what I use my jicama for and how it turned out.

Oh by the way ... could you please let me know where you got that great graphic that you have your picture in? It's fantastic!

mmmm...I love jicama raw to dip into the dip! Just dipped it in Ranch. Very tasty. Grilling it sounds good. I'll have to try that when it comes available here again. The ones they have around here now look old and are not as good as the first one I had, so I am thinking they are kind of seasonal. Anyway, I can't wait to be able to purchase some fresh ones again.

SupahSteph, you might want to try kholrabi for your scalloped potatoes. I have used it in soups as a sub for potatoes and it is yummy-very potato like. I bet it would work for scalloped potatoes very well. mmmm....maybe I'll try that myself!

Can you tell me what kholrabi is? I've never heard of it.

Hi Norma June,

Well, this sounds stupid, but I am not quite sure what it is. It was in my grocery store, and a friend tried it, so I tried it too. It is kind of round, but more eliptical than a sphere. It is green on the outside and sometimes has green stalks with leaves coming out of the top-sometimes the store cuts these off. When you go to use it, you have to peel off the outer green layer until you get to the white inside part. Then I just chopped the white part into cubes and added it to my homemade soup. It took about as long to cook as potatoes would have. In our store there are markers on the produce that tell the calories, carbs, etc... The kholrabi was relatively low in carbs. I can't remeber the exact count, but definitely less than potatoes. Ask your produce person about it.

WOW!

I am excited to go out and find this!

any idea how it would be fried?

maybe a french fry type!

How does it mash?

I just can't find a carb count for Jicama. Any one have the numbers? I want to put it into Fit Day...
Thanks!

Wow! I went out and bought a jicama. It is so yummy. But so big. I bought one jicama and have had it every night this week. Broccoli & Jicama stir fry; rosemary & onion roasted jicama, jicama slices with cinamon cream cheese; Jicama & chicken salad; grilled jicama; tomorrow I'll try jicama hash brown style. And I still have over a third of it left! Does anyone know if it can be frozen?

Lessara, there's a carb count for jicama in the carb counter on this site (to the right side of the screen).

Rosebud

I did look there, maybe I'm looking for it under the wrong thing. I tried veggie and fruit.

update... I feel foolish, I scrolled down where you can enter the name to the food... thanks Rosebud.

I love jicama, and have used it many different ways. (Laura-Lyn, that must have been huge! The ones I buy are about the size of a turnip.) Jicama is great raw in salads and superb in spinach dip. My favorite, though, is steaming it with yellow squash, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots, then grating fresh parmesan over the top. Yummmm.... Even if steamed for a long time, though, it still has a texture slightly less crunchy than water chestnuts, and retains its slightly sweet flavor. Hmm, I never thought about using it as a potato substitute...

I've eaten Jicama for years raw, cut into sticks, and sprinkled with fresh lime juice and dusted lightly with a hot chili powder.