So I keep hearing about this jicama stuff (pronounced hee-kah-mah I believe) all over the place and I finally decided to get some. I honestly didn’t even know where to start or how to cut it but I could say this experiment went very well. After I decided to make slaw I realized I didn’t have any cabbage SOOO I had to improvise. I mean… I did it on purpose 🙂
Now if you’re from the south, you probably love coleslaw like I do. I do, however, also feel pretty guilty eating fork-fulls of mayonnaise covered vegetables. This is a bright, fresh, healthy alternative to fatty slaw.
So, meet Jicama. It’s ugly, but it’s cheap and tasty. I think you two will get along.
I used 1/2 of this root for a few servings. So go ahead and cut off the outer layer and grate it with a cheese grater. You’ll notice how nice and crispy the texture is, yeah? You can stick the jicama in a bowl now.
Now take 1/2 cucumber and grate it with a cheese grater as well. I didn’t peel, de-seed it, or even throw away the juice, but you can do any of those things if you prefer. By the way, I heard that cucumber juice is super good for you, so don’t ever throw it away, drink it!
Now mince 1/2 jalapeno.
As well as a clove or two of fresh garlic. The smaller, the better.
Now cut up a handful of green onions. YUM! Add the jalapeno, garlic and green onion to a bowl. Add salt, a little vinegar or lime juice, a little bit of cumin, and also a bit of your favorite sweetener. I used some agave nectar, but you can use a little simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar boiled), or honey. Heck, you can even leave it out if you want, but I loved the faint sweetness!
You’re welcome to put some cabbage in this if you prefer, but I didn’t. Talk about crunchy, sweet, tangy, salty, spicy, fresh! Oh baby, use this for just about anything you’d use for either coleslaw or salsa. Mmm… ya’ can’t get any cheaper, healthier and faster than this!
1/2 Jicama root – $.24
1/2 Cucumber – $.19
1/2 Jalapeno – $.07
Green Onion – ~$.08
2 Servings: $.58
1 Serving: $.29
Thanks for the great recipe! I’ve been using jicama for a couple of months, now and I love it. I cut it into french-fry-sized sticks and eat it raw for a snack. I also toss it in a frying pan with a multitude of other veggies and saute them in either chicken or veggie broth. While the other veggies tend to soften, the jicama stays crunchy, so it makes for nice contrast. I’m on the Fast Metabolism Diet and jicama is perfect for me to use. So, I’m REALLY excited about this recipe! Thanks, Ande!
I made this tonight to go with our black beans. Apparently I had the worlds hottest jalapeno; too hot for me to eat, but my husband loved the slaw.
Hey there, Trish! I'm living in Charlotte, North Carolina, about 10 minutes from downtown. I happen to live in a not-so-great area with a lot of Hispanic food markets, which is why I'm able to get jicama and a lot of veggies for cheap. I also go to the Saturday farmer's market for excellent (and I mean EXCELLENT) deals on fresh fruit and veggies.
I also go to cheaper grocery stores like Food Lion and if I have to, Walmart, even though I don't like going there. Almost always I can find avocados for $.50-$.80. As for cucumbers and jicama for example, it all depends on the size and weight of these items. My cucumber was about $.38 BUT it was rather small. It all just depends.
Not sure what kind of area you're in, but I've found that any kind of small foreign food markets (Asian, Indian, Mexican) usually have fresh food for much cheaper. We have one on just about every street corner here! You may want to consider taking up couponing for a family of 8 too- I'm serious! I have a few friends that literally walk out of the store with free food. Look into it!
I was just shopping with my daughter last week and we were looking at the jicama root and wondering what we would use it for. This sounds tasty. Thanks for the recipe.
Ok, so I am curious as to where you are located. I am in northern Indiana, and I can't find these items anywhere close to these prices. I pay at least $1 for an avocado, cucumbers are $0.50 – 1.00. The jicama roots were about $1 a piece. I am a bit jealous! It makes quite a difference when you are feeding a family of 8 like me.
I bet you could do this with cuke and kohlrabi, if you can't find jicama.
Thanks for the comment! I went to a local Latin food store to get it this time. I see it at most grocery stores in my area. What state are you in? Sometimes it may depend on the Latin American population and demand? By the way, these types of stores are a great place to buy produce rather than big chain grocery stores- cheap and fresh. (Although, I'd say farmer's markets are even better)
Did you need to visit an ethnic or specialty market to find the jicama? I don't think I've seen it in my local supermarket. Looks tasty! keep up the good work!