the underground tuber of Pachyrhizus erosus, a leguminous plant of Mexico which was taken to the Philippines by the Spanish in the 17th century and has since spread across Asia and the Pacific. It is not, however, prominent as a vegetable except in Mexico and (since recently) the south of China and the USA. Elizabeth Schneider (1986) expresses surprise that it has not been written about more:
It has crunchy, juicy ivory flesh (the texture of water chestnuts) and a sweet, bland flavor that suits everything from fruit cup to stir-fried shrimp. It could not be easier to prepare, requiring only the peeling of its thinnish, sandy-tan, matte skin. Jicama is marketed in a useful range of sizes, from ½ pound to as much as 6 pounds. It can be eaten raw or cooked—and is very low in calories for so starchy-seeming a vegetable.
The name jicama is used in Ecuador and Peru for what is better called yacon.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
Schneider, Elizabeth (1986), Uncommon Fruits and Vegetables, New York: Harper & Row.
