Yandina Community Gardens

41 Farrell street, Yandina

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Yam Bean

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Yam Bean (Jicama, Mexican Water Chestnut or Chop Suey Bean)Yam Bean (Web)

Pachyrrhizus erosus

Origin: hot, humid tropical Central America

Plant: Sept – Oct

Harvest: July – Aug.

It takes 4-7 months to maturity depending on day-length hours. At the time of maturity, the vines will flower and produce many inedible pods (the flowers are also inedible)

The Inedible Yam Beans
The Inedible Yam Beans

– the mature seed contains the poison, rotenone, used as an insecticide. Jicama’s starchy underground tuber is highly digestible and can be eaten raw or cooked, as there are no toxins associated with the tuber.  Jicama can be eaten raw – sliced into sticks and used as a crudité, dipped into raw chilli powder then dipped in lime juice. It can also be used grated in salads mixed with tropical fruits and a handful of coriander leaves. The tuber can also be lightly cooked after peeling, slicing and dicing – it tends to retain its crispness when cooked and is often used in stir fries as a substitute for water chestnut.

The dried vines are very strong and can be woven into fishing nets.

Jerusalem Artichoke

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Jerusalem Artichoke (aka sunchokes)

Helianthus tuberose

Origin: dry tropics of North America

Plant: Sept – Dec

Harvest: May, when the plants have totally died down.

Can be left in the ground or harvested and stored in moist sawdust in styrene boxes with lids. Jerusalem artichokes can be eaten raw, grated into salads or roasted along with other vegetables; takes no time to cook and should not be overdone. Safe food for diabetics (it contains inulin). Prebiotic – stimulates the lower bowel to produce the bacteria bifidus. Keep a small portion of the best tubers for replanting.

 

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Acknowledgement of country

Yandina Community Gardens acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Owners of the land, the Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi) people, past and present and emerging. We recognise and wish to learn from their spiritual and cultural connection to the land.