What is Jicama?
Jicama is an exciting root vegetable known as Mexican yam bean or turnip that I found recently while shopping at the farmers market. It looks like a potato but is white inside. Jicama has a distinct crunch even after cooking and is sweet & juicy. You can have jicama in uncooked (raw) form or include them in salads, stir-fries, and soups. It is so crispy and fresh that I can eat it all day. Another favorite way to serve jicamas is by slicing them into fingers, giving them a light sprinkle of salt, and drizzling some lemon juice before serving. You may provide these an Indian-street-food flavor by sprinkling chat masala and extra-hot chili powder. The best part about jicama is that you can make these fries with any of your favorite seasonings, as everything works and tastes good. And after browsing online, I found some names for jicama in India - mishrikand, shankhalu, kesaur.
Why you’ll love this recipe?
While you are here, check out our healthy and low-carb recipes like tandoori chicken tikka (kebab), roasted sweet potatoes, easy cauliflower rice, and quick guacamole (avocado dip).
Ingredients
Jicama: I buy the whole jicama, peel them and cut them into fries (fingers). You can also use pre-sliced jicama strips at Whole Foods. Olive oil: I prefer the flavor of olive oil in fries like this. You can use avocado oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil, or even melted butter. Salt and pepper: Do not add too much at once. Adjust to taste. Seasonings: Garlic powder, cayenne powder, or red chile powder is all that I have used. You can adjust these to your liking. Herbs: I have added dried basil leaves. You can skip or add any dried herb of your choice and finely garnish it with any fresh herb (cilantro, parsley, or rosemary) available in your pantry. See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Variations and Substitutions
You can use onion powder, cumin, curry powder, and other seasonings. Love cheese? Add your favorite cheese and bake for the last 2 to 3 minutes or garnish with cheese once fresh out of the oven. You can use turnips and rutabaga to make fries. Drizzle one lemon juice if desired.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and keep this aside.Step 2: Peel the skin of jicama and cut them into fingers or fries of desired thickness (similar to french fries). Do forget to try it raw if you have not done it earlier!!
Should I boil or microwave jicama before baking?
Step 3: It is recommended to either microwave for 6 minutes or pour boiling water into the jicama and let it sit for 10 minutes; drain and pat dry before baking. This is done to get a crispy exterior and soft interior similar to french fries, But this is totally optional. If you do not do this, the fries still taste good; jicama retains its pleasantly crisp texture on the inside even after baking for a long time, in this case.
Oven Baked Crispy Fries
Step 4: In a large bowl, transfer the chopped jicama and toss it with oil, salt, pepper powder, garlic powder, cayenne powder, and basil leaves. Spread this into a single layer on a baking sheet.Step 5: Bake this for about 30 to 40 minutes or until they are crispy and turn golden brown. Make sure to turn them around the halfway mark, i.e., around 15 minutes. Jicama Fries are now ready. Serve it with ketchup, mayonnaise, yogurt dip, or even guacamole.
Air Fryer Instructions
Place the tossed jicama on a single layer in your air fryer basket and bake for 20 minutes at 200 degrees C or 400 degrees F flipping halfway through.
Tips
Vary the spices as per your taste. You can also add any additional seasonings if desired. You can also spread some cheese once they are out of the oven or before the last 2-3 minutes of the baking time. If you want it very crispy, flip it more than twice through the baking process.
Storage instructions
These taste the best when served warm right out of the oven. If there are any leftovers, I doubt, you can store them in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat them in the oven at a low setting until they are heated and crisp up in a nonstick pan, or you can reheat them in your air fryer.
Freezing instructions
You can freeze these jicama fries. After you cut them into fries, microwave or boil them and toss them with seasonings; spread them on a baking sheet and keep them in the freezer until solid. Then transfer it to the ziplock bag and keep it in the freezer. Bake it when you are ready to serve.
More low-carb recipes to try
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Recipe card
