Yacon makes its first appearance on the Belgian market
The Belgian market is the proud owner of a new vegetable: the yacon (pronounced as y-ɑ-kon). This is a root vegetable tasting of a mixture of apple, pear and watermelon and is also known as the Bolivian Sunroot. The vegetable is suggested as an alternative for potatoes, but also for fruit.
It originates in the Andes Mountains in Peru. The yacon has been growing there for centuries and is a popular local product, but is only now being launched in Belgium. Having tested the product in 2016, the 2017 harvest is now ready for the market. Grower Leo Henckens from the Limburg district of Kinrooi has produced a first crop of 50 tons which is already being sold in several supermarkets in Limburg and Flemish Brabant. The recommended price is three euros per kilo (in comparison: the recommended price of potatoes is about one euro per kilo).
The root vegetable belongs to the same family as the Jerusalem artichoke, black salsify and sunflower and has a fresh, fruity flavour. In terms of structure, the yacon can be compared with a pear: it is crisp and remains hard, even when cooked. The yacon can be eaten either raw or cooked. I can be mashed or used in soups, salads, wok dishes, snacks or even cakes, as an alternative to fruit. It is also known to be delicious as carpaccio, and can be pickled or even used to make gin.
The yacon may have a sweet aroma, but it does not contain the usual sugars. It is full of fibre and also contains inulin: a kind of slow sugar. When a yacon is stored for some time the slow sugars are converted into glucose, making it taste sweeter. It therefore contains few calories and is suitable for diabetics. Not only that, the inulin is also said to improve bacterial activity in the large intestine, otherwise known as prebiotic activity.
The new vegetable can be grown in any kind of soil without the need for pesticides. The innovative agricultural project is the result of interest in rediscovering historic vegetables and testing new foreign vegetables. The cultivation experiment was made possible thanks to the provincial and Flemish government support and is a collaboration between the grower, KU Leuven, the test centre for the cultivation of vegetables, NOLIKO and Agropolis. A sum of 40,000 euros was invested for the launch of this new vegetable. There is also a website with cooking tips: www.tastyyacon.be.