Following our Keto Diet post if you are looking for a low carb French fry replacement, crispy jicama fries might be just the thing. Potatoes are something you might miss when eating crispy wings on a low carb diet.
But What Is Jicama?
It is a ‘tuber’ or tuberous root vegetable native to Central America and like a potato has brown s
kin and white flesh but unlike a potato the skin is tough and inedible. It produces a fruit similar to a pea, but the root is the part typically eaten.
Though many people know jicama as a Mexican food, it has also been available in the United States for over 100 years. It is grown largely in Mexico, but California and Florida are among the leading producers of jicama. The appeal of this vegetable lies in its versatility and crunchiness. You can enjoy raw jicama as an alternative to apples or water chestnuts at a hot weather picnic or when making crudités – or use it as an alternative to potatoes. You can also use this super root to bake cakes and pastries!
Jicama Fries Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Jicama
Cooking oil
Salt (and/or any other spices you like on your fries)
INSTRUCTIONS
Add enough water to a pot that will cover the amount of fries that you intend to make. The set the pot to boil. While the water is heating up, trim the ends of the fresh jicama and then peel it. Then you can cut pieces approximately 3-4 inches long and ½ inch thick. Boil the fries until they are soft enough to easily pierce with a fork.
Remove the fries from the water and place them on a paper towel to dry. Now you can coat the fries with oil and place them in a single layer the air fryer basket. Sprinkle them with salt then cook like regular fries 380F until golden (about 15 minutes).
Serve up with your favorite sugar-free ketchup, ranch, or garlic aioli.
Cooked fries can be kept for up to 4 days and can be reheated in the air fryer to regain much of the crispiness they had when originally cooked.
Do Jicama Fries Taste Like Potatoes?
Jicama fries taste like regular potato fries, but they are sweeter (somewhere between a potato and sweet potato). Also, if you don’t boil them they will come out much tougher like an undercooked potato.
Keep in mind that you can also eat Jicama raw for a lower carb apple or pear like fruit snack.
