Why Haven t You Tried Jicama?

Transcription

1 ! Why Haven t You Tried Jicama? Cooking Demonstration Script by Kelly Smith Mary Johnson Introduction to Food Science NTR 211L-01 April 9, 2013 Kelly Smith Mary Johnson Russell Sage College Troy NY 12180

2 ! 1! SCRIPT - SUMMARY: Consumers are always being told by dietitians and other health professionals to add more vegetables to their diets, and to increase the variety of vegetables they eat. With such a vast array of vegetables to choose from however, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Many interesting and nutritious vegetables get overlooked, simply because they are thought to be too exotic or are otherwise unfamiliar to the buyer who may not be willing to spend money on them or risk trying something they may not like. Even if consumers are willing to expand their palettes and have the money to spend, they may still shy away from some of the more unusual vegetables on the market for lack of knowing what to do with them or how to eat them. Those consumers who do not feel especially adept in the kitchen are particularly difficult to convince when it comes to branching out and trying new and different vegetables for fear that they will be too timeconsuming or difficult to prepare. Jicama is one such unusual and exotic vegetable that many shoppers may have seen at the supermarket but not have thought to purchase. Jicama is fairly inexpensive the average price is. It is not a very attractive vegetable, which may be off-putting to some at first, but the reward is the juicy and refreshing flesh inside. It is unique in that it is delicious raw and so it requires very little in the way of preparation, which may appeal to those who are busy or not as skilled in the kitchen. Once sliced, grated or cubed, it is a delicious addition to any salad or salsa. Cut into thick slices it can be eaten the way apple slices are often eaten with nut butters - for a quick and tasty snack. It is a versatile vegetable with a slightly sweet taste that can also be added to many savory dishes such as a stir fry, where it will retain its crispness, much like a water chestnut (Johnson, et al., p. 71). It is an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C and several of the B vitamins, as well as some minerals (Bowden, pg. 45; Ensminger, et al., p. 1,256) and should not be overlooked for its unique taste and its nutritional value!

3 ! 2! Script: Welcome! My name is. CHARACTER 2 And I am. We are both students of nutrition science here at Russell Sage College. Many of us have heard that to lead a healthy lifestyle means including lots of fresh vegetables in our diets - and the way to reap the most nutritional benefit from those vegetables is to eat a large variety. Yet many people get stuck eating the same tried and true vegetables - potatoes, carrots, peas and corn, either for ease of preparation or for lack of knowledge about how to prepare some of the more unfamiliar and unusual varieties of vegetables. That s true,. While carrots and peas are good for us, grocery stores offer a vast array of interesting and exotic vegetables, such as - kale, endive, okra, and rutabaga - nutritious and delicious items which people often pass up simply because they do not know how to incorporate them in to their diets. We have brought with us today one of these more unusual vegetables in the hopes of encouraging you to branch out and try something new. CHARACTER 2 This is jicama and it is spelled J-I-C- A-M-A. You may have seen jicama at your local grocery store and wondered what it was exactly. As you can see it looks a little like a rutabaga, or even a large potato. Jicama is a staple vegetable and an important form of starch in some Asian and many Central America countries, where it is often called a yam bean. In fact, it is the

4 ! 3! tuberous root of a legume plant. Jicama is available for the most part year round, but tends to flood our markets here in the U.S. during the spring and summer months. Jicama is very low in calories, high in fiber and is loaded with the antioxidant vitamin C, several B vitamins as well as some minerals. When choosing jicama at the grocery store, you want to look for a medium sized, firm, round tuber with smooth skin. Avoid those with deep crevices, or soft bruises. Jicama has a thick, fibrous brown peel which is inedible, but the crispy white flesh inside is delicious and slightly sweet. The taste can best be described as a cross between a water chestnut and an apple. Once cut, you will want to wrap the jicama well and store it in the refrigerator, where is should keep for about 2 weeks. Otherwise you can store it as you would a potato - in a cool dry place for up to 3 weeks. There are several ways to enjoy jicama, which can be eaten raw or used as a savory item in many cooked dishes. Jicama is crisp and hydrating and is a refreshing addition to any vegetable or fruit salad. You can grate them as you would a carrot onto green salads, or slice them thinly into rounds like radishes. You can dice them into small cubes and add them to a fruit salad with mangoes and papayas. They are an excellent addition to coleslaw or you can just dip slices into salsa, guacamole or nut butters for a delicious quick and easy snack. One popular way to eat jicama in Central America is to make jicama fries. You can cut the jicama into

5 ! 4! matchsticks, drizzle with some fresh lime juice and sprinkle with chili powder - a wonderful, low-calorie alternative to deep fried potato fries! Because jicama does not lose its crispness when heated, you can add it to stir fries - where they add a nice crunch and interesting texture, much like a water chestnut. Finally, you can slice jicama very thinly and bake until crisp for tasty jicama chips! CHARACTER 2 Because of its high water content, Jicama is low in calories - one cup of sliced jicama provides only about 40 calories! It is extremely easy to prepare and according to the book The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, Jicama provides many nutritional benefits. In fact, one jicama has 32 grams of fiber which is more than the daily recommended amount. It is an excellent source of inulin fiber - a type of soluble fiber which slows digestion, controls blood sugar and helps you feel fuller longer - making jicama the perfect snack for dieters and diabetics alike. As we mentioned earlier is it also a rich source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that has been associated with boosting our body s immunity, as well as several of the B vitamins. Character 1: Jicama is a versatile vegetable that is as nutritious as it is delicious. They are also rather inexpensive at $1.99 per pound. They keep for a long time and a little goes a long way. We hope this video will inspire you to branch out and try adding jicama to your diet. You won t be disappointed!

6 ! 5! References: Bowden, Jonny. (2007) The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth about What You Should Eat and Why. Gloucester, MA: Quayside Publishing Group. Ensminger, Audrey H., et al. (1994) Foods and Nutrition Encyclopedia. 2 nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press LLC. Johnson, Hunter; Orozco, Warner; Cantwell de Trejo, Marita; Hernandez, Luis. (1998) Specialty and Minor Crops Handbook. 2 nd ed. Oakland, CA: University of California - Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.