Self-sown Oca tubers (New Zealand yams, Oxalis tuberosa) from last year’s missed bits. Seems they over-wintered just fine.
Showing the ocas still attached to the slimey, frosted, above-ground growth
Ocas will form on the trailing stems too
Ready to be cleaned off
Ocas store really well, but these ‘extras’ will be eaten ahead of digging up the main crop in a week or two. Now I just have to persuade the family to try the ‘bushtucker trial grubs’!
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I’ve had Oxalis flowers in salads but didn’t know the tubers were eaten also. They do look a bit like grubby grubs. 🙂
See, I didn’t know you could eat the flowers! I keep discovering new flowers to eat, like dahlias tubers, hosta shoots etc. Fun to find out though.
I’m not sure I could eat those. They do look like grubs!
They don’t look so much like larvae once they’re cooked. I like them roasted and they look very similar to pink fir apple potatoes then.
I’d never heard about pink fir apple potatoes, either, but not I’m all informed. I’ve never thought much about differences between Britain and the U.S., but I’m becoming more aware all the time!
For a minute I thought these were Nasturtium tubers, which look very similar. I tried those here in Belgium for the first time last year, and now am a convert. Do these Oca taste similar? I am of course the only one in my family too that eats such things!
Ha, I didn’t know that about nasturtiums! So, I can’t compare. Guess what I’ll be trying next year. These ocas have a similar texture to radishes when you eat them raw, but the taste is more citrussy, rather than hot. Once cooked they are more like potatoes, but they retain that slight lemony flavour and so are reminiscent of jerusalem artichokes.
They sound good, I like citrus flavours! Nasturtium tubers have a taste that’s hard to describe, soft, earthy, sweet with a hint of almond (maybe!). I have found a French supplier…watch this space! 🙂
Sounds very interesting!
I’m curious about the taste too. I could imagine them having medicinal properties, somehow.
I don’t think that they have any particular medicinal uses. Raw they are like lemony radishes and cooked they are pretty similar to potatoes, slightly less floury may be.
They do look like fat grubs! What do they taste like? Do you steam them like potatoes or eat them raw?
You can use them almost interchangeably with potatoes in terms of cooking, however, you can also eat them raw e.g. sliced in salads. Eaten raw, they are crunchy like radishes, but fresh and citrussy, instead of hot.
I’m also curious about the taste!
Good question! To me they are similar in taste to radishes when eaten raw. I’ve tried them sliced into salads. They are fresh and slightly lemony. Otherwise, you can cook them like potatoes (which they also taste like). I prefer them roasted as they caramelise nicely, whilst retaining a faint lemon flavour. They are a bit like jerusalem artichokes in that sense.
They sound very appealing roasted, but it’s great they are so versatile. Thanks for the information.
Me too – do you have a recipe?
Please see my responses to other comments for details about oca taste. However, many reviewers seem to agree with me that roasting them brings out their best flavour. Here is a roasting recipe that I want to try in the near future: https://tinandthyme.uk/2017/03/chilli-roasted-oca-with-pesto/. Also I want to try roasting them with a little fajita spice powder added.