# Jicama can be mashed ? Or was I lied to... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 20, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743 "2010-02-20T06:27:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/1 "2010-02-20T06:27:58Z")
So I was reliably informed by the [interwebs](http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/notpotatoes.html) that Jicama (aka Yam Bean) makes a good potato replacement, including the ability to be mashed. I have just spent the last 45 mins or so boiling a pan of Jicama and it still has the consistency of very undercooked potato. Is there, _gasp_, incorrect information on the internet. Or is there some trick I am missing to making mashed Jicama ? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/2 "2010-02-20T06:46:37Z")
Like potatoes, it needs to be cooked first. In this case, boiled long and hard. However, in this case you seem to have been sucked into the fallacy that, though people have NOT cooked and eaten it for thousands of years, it might still be edible. I tend to support the, “Grandma managed to cook it so I can probably digest it,” rule of thumb, though mine wife has tested mine bowels with raw cabbage, and lost, the past few days. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/3 "2010-02-20T07:16:18Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Like potatoes, it needs to be cooked first. In this case, boiled long and hard. But I boiled it for 45 minutes! It was no where near being mashable. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/4 "2010-02-20T07:39:52Z")
This [blogger](http://kandjbrownies.blogspot.com/2009/03/holy-jicama.html) successfully mashed potatoes, but did it in a food processor and said that the boiled jicama was still a bit tough after boiling for about 30 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/5 "2010-02-20T08:07:57Z")
Don’t do it! Raw jicama is such a delight! ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/6 "2010-02-20T08:59:22Z")
> [@Leiko](#): > > This [blogger](http://kandjbrownies.blogspot.com/2009/03/holy-jicama.html) successfully mashed potatoes, but did it in a food processor and said that the boiled jicama was still a bit tough after boiling for about 30 minutes. Mashed JICAMA, I mean. And I even edited that post to correct a different error. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/7 "2010-02-20T12:52:43Z")
Cauliflower makes a much better sub for mashed potatoes. I’m to the point now where I actually like it better! ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/8 "2010-02-20T22:05:02Z")
> [@Leiko](#): > > This [blogger](http://kandjbrownies.blogspot.com/2009/03/holy-jicama.html) successfully mashed potatoes, but did it in a food processor and said that the boiled jicama was still a bit tough after boiling for about 30 minutes. Yeah if “can be mashed” means “can be reduced to a pulp in a food processor” then steak can be mashed as well 🙂 I guess I will return to my usual potato replacement, turnips and rutabaga. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/9 "2010-02-20T22:20:37Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Yeah if “can be mashed” means “can be reduced to a pulp in a food processor” then steak can be mashed as well 🙂 > > I guess I will return to my usual potato replacement, turnips and rutabaga. If you like carrots, mixing in some carrots in there is wonderful. I do equal parts rutabaga and carrots. Or even equal parts potato (skin on) and carrots will do a lot if you’re looking to reduce starch. Although lately I’ve read potatoes can actually be quite good for dieters, as they are among the highest on the satiety index. ---
**Author:** ![spoike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@spoike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spoike)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/10 "2010-02-20T23:32:32Z")
Might I suggest celery root (celeriac) instead? It is definitely used as a low-carb sub for mashed potatoes and actually tastes really good. It has a faint, but pleasant, celery flavour and has the consistency of mashed potatoes when boiled and mashed. It also looks a bit like jicama. In fact, I wonder if that’s where the confusion lies. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/11 "2010-02-21T00:25:26Z")
You also might have better luck mashing [mirliton aka chayote](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chayote), if you can find it. It is also a low carb alternative, and it came to mind when I read this thread. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/12 "2010-02-21T00:34:20Z")
Pretty interesting [article](http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/2009/08/a_fan_of_the_iconic_new_orlean.html) about reestablishing/Arking the Mirliton plant varieties native to NO that were wiped out by Hurricane Katrina. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/13 "2010-02-21T00:41:12Z")
I might be off in calling the mirliton “low-carb”. Moderate in carbs might be more realistic. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/14 "2010-02-21T03:37:20Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Don’t do it! Raw jicama is such a delight! Do it! Raw jicama tastes like raw starch! 😃 Eat a slice of raw potato. Jicama tastes like that, but not so much because there is a higher water:raw starch ratio. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/15 "2010-02-21T08:23:04Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Do it! Raw jicama tastes like raw starch! 😃 > > Eat a slice of raw potato. Jicama tastes like that, but not so much because there is a higher water:raw starch ratio. What if you happen to like both raw jicama and raw potato? Though I find that they both remind me texturally of apples =) I am more into veggies than fruit as I have weaned myself of having a sweet tooth, and I have always liked salty/vinegary to sweet noncandy foods =) ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/16 "2010-02-21T12:54:32Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Cauliflower makes a much better sub for mashed potatoes. I’m to the point now where I actually like it better! What, mashed cauliflower? Or just regular boiled or steamed cauliflower? I’ve never heard of anyone mashing it before. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/17 "2010-02-22T20:18:17Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > What, mashed cauliflower? Or just regular boiled or steamed cauliflower? I’ve never heard of anyone mashing it before. Yes, mashed/pureed cauliflower. It was popularized by the low-carb diets, because it’s much lower carb than mashed potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jicama-can-be-mashed-or-was-i-lied-to/529743/18 "2010-02-22T22:51:47Z")
I’ve never had the jicama mashed, just used as a sub for apple. I’ve made it as spiced “apples” and in a tart but I’ve never tried mashing it. I imagine it would be better if you pureed it. I make mashed cauli about once a week but it has a taste that bothers me unless I cover it with too much cheese. Rest of the gang loves it though. That you just boil until it’s soft and mash or puree. I like it fork mashed to leave a few chunks. (I also rice cauliflower in my food processor. I like it better than white rice!)