Jicama Fries

This idea has been around for a long time and it has had some mixed reviews. I finally decided to give it a try. Let me just say, the hardest thing about this recipe is finding the jicama. Jicama has a few different names like Mexican Turnip, Yam or Yam Bean. It is a large, pale brown to beige, thin skinned tuberous root. It has a white, crisp textured interior that is mildly sweet. I found the texture to be very much like a nice crisp apple. Jicama are high in the carbohydrates that make up dietary fiber. I tested this recipe several different ways and chose the absolute best. I found jicama to be one of the best and most flavorful replacements for french fried potatoes there is. It doesn't taste quite like a potato but rather has its own, delicious and distinctive taste and texture. You can also season them as you would with any fries. I also found that in deep frying them little to no oil was absorbed. This may be related to the fact that they contain about 90% water but I am no botanist and cannot say for certain. All I can say is that I was so surprised by this I cooked up a second batch and measured the oil afterwards once again with the same outcome. I think that you will learn to love jicama both fried or raw in salads. There are so many positives to this great tuber. I hope you enjoy.

Jicama Fries

Ingredients:

4 cups jicama, sliced into 1/4" sticks (about a 1 1/4 lb. jicama)

canola oil for frying

salt and pepper

Trim the ends off of the jicama and peel with a vegetable peeler. The skin is thin but a little tough so take your time. Cut the jicama into 1/4" thick planks and then the planks into strips about 1/4" wide.

Fill a large, heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven about 1/3 of the way full with canola oil. Bring to temperature of 365' on medium high heat. The oil is hot enough when you stick the handle of a wooden spoon in and small bubbles immediately appear around it. Using a spider or slotted spoon lower the sliced jicama into the oil in small batches. Cooking in smaller batches will keep the oil from getting too cool and helps reduce the amount of oil absorbed when frying. Fry the jicama for about 4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Remove with spider or slotted spoon to a paper towel covered plate to drain any oil there might be. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired.

Nutrition Facts

4 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 46.0

Total Fat 0.0 g

Saturated Fat 0.0 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g

Cholesterol 0.0 mg

Sodium 5.0 mg

Potassium 0.0 mg

Total Carbohydrate 11.0 g

Dietary Fiber 6.0 g

Sugars 2.0 g

Protein 1.0 g

Note ~ I have left the fat at zero but there must be at least a trace amount contained in the jicama fries.