Do you know about Jicama? WHAT IS IT?

Jicama (pronounced HEE-kah-mah), also called a Mexican Potato and Mexican Turnip, is the name of a native Mexican vine and most commonly the plant's edible root.

Even though I had lived in Mexico, I never tried Jicama! A while back I was enjoying a girlfriends spa weekend with friend Lynnda Shep (yep, one of the hosts of Bariatric TV!) at The Boulders in Scottsdale and while hanging out in the spa lounge, the attendant put out a plate of cut raw vegetables.

Lynnda nibbled a slice of what I thought was sliced potato.

"Raw potato?"

Lynnda laughed at me - "Hey Chef, this is Jicama? It is super crunchy and sweet - like a juicy apple radish - YUM!"

It looks like a giant light brown radish. The root's exterior is yellow and papery, while its inside is creamy white with a crisp texture that resembles raw apple or pear. The flavor is sweet and very crunchy, reminiscent of a crisp Fuji apple, and it is usually eaten raw. It is even crunchier than a cucumber!

Jicama tastes great moistened with lime and sprinkled with a blend of chili powder and kosher salt or a seasoned salt bland. It makes an amazing crisp salad when grated or shredded and tossed with cilantro, orange slices, julienned red belle pepper and a lime olive oil dressing. TRY IT.