Topic: Cooking Oca

[mat]

Okay, just been and dug up a few Oca...

Now, what's your favourite ways of eating/cooking them?  How shall I use them?  How do they need to be prepared after digging to eating?  Do they need to be left in the light before eating?

mat

[Jayb]

I'm having some roasted tonight with chicken. Quick wash and then into the roasting tin with the chicken, a little drizzle of olive oil, small bulb of garlic cut in half, half a lemon and a generous sprinkle of taragon. Seasoned with salt and ground black pepper. Yum

[Robert_Brenchley]

Clean them well; dirt gets trapped in some of the wrinkles. I've only cooked them once, last night in a soup. I didn't time it, I just boiled them till the biggest were soft enough, and did them in a soup with lots of blended down veg - broadies, JA's, PSB - chicken, master sauce (the result of boiling meat in soy sauce) and spices.

[Ian Pearson]

See http://www.exoticfarm.com/chioca_rec.html
for plenty of inspiration.
They can be cooked lots of ways. I like them sliced and fried with onions. If you are in a hurry, microwave them before frying.  My 'Red with White Eyes' does not need to be 'Sunned' to reduce the oxalic acid - it already seems to be low, but other varieties can be different.  Traditionally in South America they are used a lot in stews. And don't forget you can use them raw, grated in salads, or just to munch on.

[Sue7]

Traditionally in NZ (where we call them yams) we just roast them - absolutely delicious!  Also slice them into stir fries but mostly roasted which I think brings out the best flavour.  But you do need to wash them well to get all the dirt out of the creases. 

I have managed to source and grow them here but it hasn't been easy!  Where did you buy your tubers from?

[mat]

Where did you buy your tubers from?

Thanks everyone

Due - I got a few from Edulis, but they were not great quality
I got the rest (a mix of red/white/pink and orange) from ebay, and they came well wrapped and were all very good quality... cannot remember seller.  The 20 ebay "tubers" cost me less than the 3 dodgy ones from Edulis.

So it seems I don't need to leave them in the sun  ??? ::) for a few hours to reduce the oxalic acid?!

Can they be mashed?

I will try the few I dug yesterday tonight

[saddad]

Welcome to A4A Sue7... haven't tried mashing them... just stir fried, will try some raosted...  :)

[Sue7]

I have never heard about needing to leave them in the sun to reduce the oxalic acid. I can only go by what I know from all the years eating them in NZ while growing up but maybe different strands require different treatment. The tubers I bought here were a bit different in colour to the ones we had in NZ but essentially tasted the same.

To me they are definitely best roasted - brings out the nutty flavour.  Make sure you roast them well - until they shrink a bit but not over do it.  Hard to explain - comes with practice. 

Will look on ebay for some more. Thanks for the tip

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you want some tubers drop me a PM.