Jicama Chili Sticks

I am posting another new vegetable for SWOL challenge #2.  I know the challenge was try one new fruit and one new vegetable but I found this strange looking vegetable and I had to give it a try.  It's called a Jicama [hee-kuh-muh]. 

Again, as I said in my my SWOL challenge #2 post, I read that jicama contains a high amount of vitamin C, is low in sodium, and has no fat. One  serving or 1 cup of cubed jicama contains only 45 calories.

Here is the recipe I decided to try.  I read this is the way it is sold by street vendors in LA and in Mexico so I thought it would be a good recipe to start with.  

Jicama Chili Sticks

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs jicama

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 lime, to squeeze on the jicama

Preparation:

1. Peel the jicama and cut into pieces about 3″ x 1/2″ x 1/2″.

2. Arrange the jicama on a paper towel and sprinkle with lime juice.

3. Sprinkle with chili powder.

4. Arrange on a platter and serve ice cold.

 

It was certainly interesting.  I would say it tasted like a cross between an apple and a potato.  I saw other suggestions to use it in a salad,  on a vegetable plate, in a stir fry or a fruit salad.  I would definitely try Jicama in again but maybe in a different recipe.