Arracacha, a root vegetable native to the Andean region of South America, is related to celery and carrots. It has a delicate flavor and can be boiled, baked, or fried. The plant is primarily grown and consumed in South America and has limitations in cultivation.
Arracacha, or zanahoria blanca, is a root vegetable native to the Andean region of South America that is botanically related to celery and carrots. The root has smooth white skin and resembles a large white carrot or parsnip. Its delicate flavor is reminiscent of celery, cabbage or chestnut. The tall stems are green with occasional purple streaks and can be boiled or eaten raw like celery. Arracacha is grown and consumed primarily in South America and some regions of the Caribbean and Central America.
This plant was probably grown in South America like any other. Often grown in place of potatoes because it’s cheaper to produce and requires less fertilizer, the plant is native to the Andean region between Bolivia and Venezuela. The Spanish conquerors overlooked the plant and it wasn’t given a scientific name until the late 1700s. The word arracacha is Quechua and was imported into Spanish.
This is one of the largest cultivated umbellifers. The central root typically bears several lateral roots between about 5 and 25 cm in length and between 2 and 6 cm in diameter. The pulp can be white, yellow or purple depending on the variety. The stems and leaves usually reach a height of about 1 meter and can produce small yellow or purple flowers if left to seed.
The roots are starchy but easily digestible and a rich source of vitamin A. Infants and the elderly can safely eat arracacha root. All parts are high in calcium. The plant stays in the refrigerator for two to three weeks.
A versatile tuber, tender arracacha roots are typically boiled, baked, or fried. They are also commonly added to stews such as sancocho which are popular in Peru and Colombia. It is not uncommon to find this plant in Ecuadorian or Venezuelan cuisine, where it is known as apio.
In Brazil, arracacha is dried into chips which are then added as a flavoring to dehydrated soups. Boiled, the root is often served with a sauce such as queso sauce or cheese sauce or pepas de zambo sauce or pumpkin seed sauce. The stems can be blanched or added to salads. The foliage and central root are usually given to livestock.
As a crop, arracacha has several limitations that help explain why it hasn’t been grown more widely. The roots take longer to grow than a potato and are typically harvested 300 to 400 days after planting. It is not frost hardy and if left in the ground too long the roots become hard, stringy and unpleasantly flavoured. Additionally, arracacha is vulnerable to mites and some viruses and has a short shelf life.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
