Oca

There are so many interesting vegetables and fruits. We’re always keen to try something new, so last year when we found mashua we simply had to try it. And how about sand carrots?
This week we spotted oca at our bio-supermarket. Small red tubers from Peru. Hopefully not imported, but we bought them anyway.
Oca (Oxalis tuberosa, known as yams in New Zealand) originates from the Andes. It is grown in the highlands of several countries (Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina). Oca’s are also cultivated in various other countries, including the UK, Mexico, New Zealand and France.
Oca is a member of the family of wood sorrels and the plant has clover-like leaves. The leaves and the stems are also edible. Nutrient wise oca tubers and potatoes are very similar. The oca tubers contain a high amount of vitamin C, calcium and iron. Oca tubers can be acidic, thanks to the presence of oxalic acid. The tubers have a lovely soft, red colour.

Oca tubers can be eaten raw, boiled and baked. We tasted a few slices of raw oca, only to find the texture not great and the taste a bit tangy, radish like. We decided to bake them in olive oil. The result was a pleasant surprise and some of the colour is still visible. The tubers tasted like a really, really good potatoes: soft and nutty.

What You Need

250 grams of Oca
Olive Oil
Black Pepper

What You Do

Preheat your oven to 180 °C or 355 °F. Wash the oca’s. Don’t be tempted to peel them because the peel is very tasty. Remove small bits of dirt with a sharp knife. Wash again and dry. Add olive oil to a baking dish, add the tubers and make sure they are nicely coated. Transfer to the oven and fry for 15-25 minutes, depending on the size. Allow to cool for a few minutes before adding black pepper.