Oca
Randall P. Linke (Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:49:50 PST)

I have never heard of this, but all things gastronomical pique my
curiosity. Did a web search that came up pretty sparse on actual recipes
but one site offered this:

The oca can be prepared like most root vegetables by being
boiled<http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Boiled>,
baked <http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Baked> or
fried<http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Fried>.
In the Andes it is part of
stews<http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Stews>and
soups <http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Soups>; served like
potatoes <http://cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/…> or can be
served as a sweet. Oca is eaten raw in Mexico with
salt<http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Salt>,
lemon <http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Lemon> and hot
pepper<http://cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/…>.

Also seems it is established in New Zealand where they refer to it as New
Zealand Yam, so that may bring up some results. If I ever find it locally
I will have to try it.

Randy

On Thu, Nov 10, 2011 at 6:57 AM, James Waddick <jwaddick@kc.rr.com> wrote:

Dear Friends,
It is apparently Oca 'season'. Oca is Oxalis tuberosa, an
edible member of this genus native to highland parts of South America
and long cultivated there for food.

A few years ago a kind member of PBS (Thanks Liz) sent me a
package of tubers to try eating and growing. I soon found that
growing them was pretty worthless in my climate and the plant is NOT
ornamental - at least here in Kansas City. I did like the taste, but
the trouble and cost of 'importing' from California didn't seem worth
the trouble.

This year a new jumbo super market opened nearby (Hy Vee) and
in the last few weeks they have been selling jumbo fresh Oca for only
$1.99 per pound, a real bargain price. They have only sold what
appears to be a single cultivar with smooth red tubers. I know there
are also yellow tuber cvs and probably many more in Peru. I have
been enjoying these on a regular basis.

So does anyone have a slightly off topic recipe for enjoying
these unique tubers? Generally they are prepared like potatoes, but
have a sweeter taste and cook much faster. I'm open to trying new
versions after enjoying them a few different and obvious ways.

Thanks. Jim W.
--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +

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