Jicama: nutrition and how to use it

Fun facts

• One root, two names: southern Vietnam calls it củ sắn, the north calls it củ đậu. Confusingly, "sắn" in the north means cassava, a completely different root.
• Jicama comes from Mexico. The plant is a legume, but only the root is edible. Its seeds, leaves and pods contain natural toxins and should never be eaten.
• 100g of jicama has only about 38 kcal yet 4.9g of fiber, on par with kale and green peas. It also brings about 20mg of vitamin C.
• It is mostly water, fiber and a little sugar (1.8g), so raw jicama is crisp and refreshing like a pear.

Choosing and storing

Choose hand sized roots with thin, smooth skin that peels easily and a heavy feel, a sign of juiciness. Avoid thick skinned, cracked or soft spotted ones. Whole jicama keeps somewhere dry and airy for 1 to 2 weeks. Peeled jicama should be wrapped, refrigerated and used within a few days.

Cooking it well

Jicama skin peels off easily by hand: lift one edge and pull. Eating it raw keeps all the crunch and vitamin C: cut it into sticks with chili salt, shred it into salads or roll it into bò bía. A quick stir fry with carrot and dried shrimp makes a classic filling for spring rolls, and it stays lightly crisp. Jicama is rich in fiber, so you may like how much fiber per day.

Frequently asked questions