Something New : Jicama

I recently made some changes to my diet, and one of them was to eat a lot more vegetables. I usually get bored of eating the same thing, so I decided to try a new vegetable. My vegetable of choice was the Jicama. Why the Jicama you may ask? Well, as an avid 'food network' watcher who likes to try recipes and ingredients the chefs talk about - when they kept mentioning this vegetable, I knew I had to try it.

Here is what it looks like raw. Most people describe it as looking sort of like a turnip.



I decided to chop it up (sort of like french fries) and then sautee in a sprayed pan with salt, black pepper and a little cayenne to give it a kick. I cooked it for about 5 minutes, turning over a few times to prevent from burning.



Then, I served it with some homemade kidney beans and boiled plantains.



What does it taste like? It's sweet and crispy, and sort of reminds me of a water chestnut and a pear at the same time. It is arguably an acquired taste, but a forkful of the plantain, Jicama and kidney beans, was absolutely delightful.

Don't be afraid to try something new... you just might love it!