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''Pachyrhizus erosus'', commonly known as ''jícama'' ( or ; ; from ) or Mexican turnip, is a native
Mesoamerica Mesoamerica is a historical region and cultural area that begins in the southern part of North America and extends to the Pacific coast of Central America, thus comprising the lands of central and southern Mexico, all of Belize, Guatemala, El S ...
n
vine A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...
, although the name ''jícama'' most commonly refers to the plant's edible tuberous root. It is in the pea family (Fabaceae). ''Pachyrhizus tuberosus'' and '' Pachyrhizus ahipa'' are the other two cultivated species in the genus. The naming of this group of edible plants can sometimes be confusing, with much overlap of similar, or the same, common names. Flowers, either blue or white, and pods similar to peas, are produced on fully developed plants. Several species of ''Pachyrhizus'' are known as jícama, but the one found in many markets is ''P. erosus''. The two cultivated forms of ''P. erosus'' are ''jícama de agua'' and ''jícama de leche'', both named for the consistency of their juice. The ''leche'' form has an elongated root and milky juice, while the ''agua'' form has a top-shaped to oblate root and a more watery, translucent juice and is the preferred form for the market.


Description

The jícama vine can reach a height of given suitable support. Its root can attain lengths up to and weigh up to . The heaviest jícama root ever recorded weighed and was found in 2010 in the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. Jícama is frost-tender and requires nine months without frost for a good harvest of large tubers or to grow it commercially. It is worth growing in cooler areas that have at least five months without frost, as it will still produce tubers, but they will be smaller. Warm, temperate areas with at least five months without frost can start seed eight to ten weeks before the last spring frost. Bottom heat is recommended, as the seeds require warm temperatures to germinate, so the pots will need to be kept in a warm place. Jícama is unsuitable for areas with a short growing season unless cultured in a greenhouse. Growers in tropical areas can sow seed at any time of the year. Those in subtropical areas should sow seeds once the soil has warmed in the spring.


Taxonomy

Other names for jícama include Mexican potato, ''ahipa'', ''saa got'', Chinese potato, and sweet turnip. In Ecuador and Peru, the name ''jícama'' is used for the unrelated ''
yacón The yacón (''Smallanthus sonchifolius'') is a species of daisy traditionally grown in the northern and central Andes from Colombia to northern Argentina for its crisp, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots. Their texture and flavour are very similar t ...
'' or Peruvian ground apple, a sunflower family plant whose tubers are also used as food.


History

The jícama originated in Mexico and Central America. It has been found at archaeological sites in Peru dating to 3000 BC. In the 17th century, the jícama was introduced to Asia by the Spanish.


Spread to Asia

Spaniards spread the cultivation of jícama from Mexico to the Philippines (where it is known as ''singkamas'', from Nahuatl ''xicamatl''), from there it went to China and other parts of
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
, where notable uses of raw jícama include ''
popiah Popiah (, Peng'im, Teochew Peng'im: boh⁸ bian²) is a Fujianese cuisine, Fujianese/Teochew cuisine, Teochew-style fresh spring roll filled with an assortment of fresh, dried, and cooked ingredients, eaten during the Qingming Festival and othe ...
, '' ''bola-bola'' ( meatballs) and fresh ''
lumpia ''Lumpia'' are various types of spring rolls commonly found in Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian and Filipino cuisine, Filipino cuisines. Lumpia are made of thin paper-like or crêpe-like pastry skin called "lumpia wrapper" enveloping savory or ...
'' in the Philippines, and
salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments called '' salad dressings'', which exist in a variety of flavors, a ...
s in Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia such as '' yusheng'' and '' rojak''. In the Philippines, it is usually eaten fresh with condiments, such as rice vinegar and sprinkled with salt or with ''bagoong'' ( shrimp paste). It is also used as an extender for the Filipino versions of siomai and meatballs. In Malay, it is known as ''ubi sengkuang''. In
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
, jícama is known as ''bengkuang''. This root crop is also known by people in Sumatra and Java, and eaten at fresh fruit bars or mixed in the ''rojak'' (a kind of spicy fruit salad). Padang, the capital of West Sumatra province, is nicknamed "the city of ''bengkuang''." Local people might have thought that this jícama is the "indigenous crop" of Padang. The crop has been grown everywhere in this city and has become a part of their culture.


Toxicity

In contrast to the root, the remainder of the plant is very
poison A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figurati ...
ous; the seeds contain the toxin rotenone, which is used to poison
insect Insects (from Latin ') are Hexapoda, hexapod invertebrates of the class (biology), class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (Insect morphology#Head, head, ...
s and
fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...
. Mature seeds have a high rotenone content. Commercial jícama cultivation considered using them as an
insecticide Insecticides are pesticides used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. The major use of insecticides is in agriculture, but they are also used in home and garden settings, i ...
source.


Uses


Culinary

The root's exterior is yellow and papery, while its inside is creamy white with a crisp texture that resembles raw potato or pear. The flavor is sweet and starchy, reminiscent of some apples or raw green beans. It is usually eaten raw, sometimes with salt,
lemon The lemon (''Citrus'' × ''limon'') is a species of small evergreen tree in the ''Citrus'' genus of the flowering plant family Rutaceae. A true lemon is a hybrid of the citron and the bitter orange. Its origins are uncertain, but some ...
or lime juice, '' alguashte'', and/or chili powder. It is also often paired with cilantro,
ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of l ...
, lemon, lime, orange, red onion, salsa, sesame oil, grilled fish, and
soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...
. It can be cut into thin wedges and dipped in salsa or can be cooked in soups and stir-fried dishes. In
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, it is popular in salads, fresh fruit combinations, fruit bars, soups, and other cooked dishes. The exterior of the seed pods is edible and can be used in cooking; for example, the Ilocano dish ''bunga ng singkamas'' is cooked in a stew as the main ingredient. Flour can be made from the tubers by slicing, drying, and grinding them.


Nutrition

Raw jícama is 90% water, 9%
carbohydrate A carbohydrate () is a biomolecule composed of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms. The typical hydrogen-to-oxygen atomic ratio is 2:1, analogous to that of water, and is represented by the empirical formula (where ''m'' and ''n'' ...
s, 1%
protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
, and contains negligible fat (table). In a reference amount, it supplies 38
calorie The calorie is a unit of energy that originated from the caloric theory of heat. The large calorie, food calorie, dietary calorie, kilocalorie, or kilogram calorie is defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one liter o ...
s and is a rich source of
vitamin C Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits, berries and vegetables. It is also a generic prescription medication and in some countries is sold as a non-prescription di ...
, with no other micronutrients in significant content (table).


Storage

Jícama should be stored dry, between . The jícama root will stay fresh for up to 4 months within this temperature range. Whole jícama can also be stored in a refrigerator to keep it free from moisture for up to 3 weeks. Storing at colder temperatures can discolor, damage the root, and degrade its texture. The root will keep fresh for one week after being sliced and should be wrapped and refrigerated for storage in this state.


References


External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q517283 Crops originating from Mexico Crops originating from the Americas Mexican cuisine Phaseoleae Root vegetables Tropical agriculture