What is Arracacha?

Arracacha, or zanahoria blanca , is the root vegetables original in the Andean region of South America, which is botanically connected with celery and carrots. The root has white, smooth skin and resembles a large white carrot or pastin. Its mild taste resembles celery, cabbage or chestnut. High stems are green with occasional purple stripes and can be cooked or eaten raw like celery. Arracacha is grown and consumed primarily in South America and some Caribbean and Central American regions.

This plant was probably cultivated in South America as long as others. The plant is often grown instead of potatoes because it is cheaper to produce and requires less fertilizers, comes from the Andean region between Bolivia and Venezuela. Spanish conquerors overlooked the plant and by the end of the 17th century was not given a scientific name. The word arracacha is quiet and was imported into Spanish.

This is one of the greatest cultivated Umbellifers. The middle root will usually be carried by several afterside roots between approximately 2 and 10 inches (5 to 25 cm) long and 1 to 2 inches (2 to 6 cm) in diameter. The meat can be white, yellow or purple depending on the variety. The stems and leaves usually grow around 3.2 feet (1 m) high and can produce small yellow or purple flowers if left for seed.

roots are starch but easily digestible and rich source of infants vitamin A. And the elderly can safely eat the root of Arracacha. All parts have a high calcium content. The plant keeps the fridge for two to three weeks.

All -round tubers, fine Arracacha roots are usually cooked, baked or fried. They are also commonly joined to stews, such as Sancancho , which are popular in Peru and Colombia. It is not unusual to find this plant in Ecuadorian or Venezuelan cuisine where it is known as APIO .

in Brazil, Arracacha is dried to chips thatare then added as an aroma to dehydrated soups. The root is often served with sauce such as salsa de queso , or cheese sauce, or salsa de Pepas de Zambo , or pumpkin sauce. The stems can be blanchered or added to salads. Leaves and central roots are generally administered to livestock.

As a crop, Arracacha has several limitations that help explain why it does not grow more widely. The roots last longer than potatoes and usually harvest 300 to 400 days after planting. It is not frost resistant, and if it is too long in the ground, the roots are hard, fibrous and unpleasantly flavored. In addition, Arracacha is vulnerable to mites and some viruses and has a short life.