veg 003

yam bean (sar kot/mangkuang in Cantonese, sengkuang in Malay)

Also known as sengkuang (Malay), sar kot/mangkuang (Cantonese) or jicama (America). Neither a yam or a bean but a naturally sweet tuber that originates from South America. Have a thin light brown skin and a white, succulent and crisp flesh. Can be eaten raw, use in gado gado or rojak (Malay salad), as a filling for spring roll and fresh popiah. As a kid, used to eat a thick flat slice of yam bean, bought from the fruit stall, and topped with chilli, hoi sin sauce and crushed peanuts.