If your local grocery store doesn’t carry jicama, your best bet is specialty produce shops or Mexican, Asian, and Latin American grocery stores. You are most likely to find jicama in the spring and summer, as they are often imported from Central American countries at that time. Avoid tubers that are soft, shriveled, or have dark spots.
Instead, try using a chef’s knife. First, cut a thin slice from both the top and the bottom to create a flat top and flat bottom on each end. Before you peel the jicama, though, wash it in cool running water and then dry it off like you would a potato. Set the jicama down on its broadest cut end. Work from top to bottom, and slide your knife beneath the jicama’s skin. Peel it while following the jicama’s natural lines.
You can also shave the jicama on a mandolin slicer and roll them with fillings. First, cut the vegetable in half or in quarters, then use the mandolin to slice off thin shavings. [2] X Research source
However, if you have, say, half of the root left, you should store it in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or resealable plastic container. It should be fine to eat even several days later. It might be a bit dry on its cut end, so you might have to cut that part away before you prepare it to eat. Before it’s cut, you can store jicama for two to four weeks if you keep it in a cool, dry, dark place. Don’t store it in temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, as this will cause changes in color and texture.
People also use jicama to make salsa, by mixing diced jicama with corn or diced tomato, black beans, red onion, minced jalapeño, lime juice, and cilantro. Turn the jicama into slaw by adding thin strips of it to shredded red cabbage and shredded carrots. Put jicama in spring rolls or stir fry it. Cooking it briefly will add a crunchy texture to your stir fry. You could cook it with broccoli, garlic, ginger, scallions, cashews or toasted sesame seeds.
First, brown the jicama in a little bit of olive oil. Add a small sliced onion and ½ of a red pepper cut into strips. Cook until tender. [3] X Trustworthy Source Produce for Better Health Foundation Nonprofit organization focused on promoting plant-based diet information to help consumers live healthier lives. Go to source You can also roast jicama by cutting it into cubes and putting it in a baking pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, sprinkle the jicama with olive oil, rosemary, parsley, and ½ teaspoon minced garlic, and roast it for an hour.
Slice the jicama with a mandolin slicer to about 2 mm. Brush olive oil on both sides of the jicama slices, and add salt and pepper. Put the slices on parchment lined baking sheets. Make sure they are in single layers. Bake them at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for about 100 minutes. You will want to make sure they are crisp, and you should turn them every 20 minutes. You can also make raw jicama chips. Simply peel the jicama and thinly slice it. Squeeze one half of a lime onto the chips, and sprinkle them with salt, sugar, and chili powder. Chill for 20 minutes before serving.
Mix diced jicama with chunks of mango, pineapple, watermelon, and cucumbers, and add lime juice and chili powder. [4] X Research source Add jicama to canapes for a cocktail party. Or use it instead of papayas in a shrimp salad. In a large bowl, mix jicama, sprouts, herbs and scallions. Whisk chili-garlic paste, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar, as well as salt and pepper. Mix together. Add shrimp and peanuts. [5] X Research source Consider adding jicama to salads, or use it to replace the cucumber in sushi rolls. It works best in quick-cooking recipes where it retains its crispness. [6] X Research source
The jicama’s taste has been described as similar to an apple. Sometimes called a Mexican turnip, jicama is a starchy, slightly sweet root vegetable popular in Mexico. It has the texture of a firm pear or raw potato. Jícama is a species in the genus Pachyrhizus in the bean family. Plants in this genus are referred to as yam bean, although that term can be another name for the jicama root itself. It grows in Central America, South Asia, and the Caribbean. [8] X Research source
It is a great source of dietary fiber. It is considered a good snack for people with diabetes, or people who are on diets. However, you should also know that jicama contains an organic toxin called rotenone that has been linked to Parkinson’s disease in some studies. The toxin is mostly found in the leaf tops, stems, and seed pods, so don’t eat those. The peeled roots are considered safe for human consumption. Jicama is rich in vitamin C. Jicama also contains important minerals like magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese. [10] X Research source
