Arracacia xanthorrhiza

Arracacia xanthorrhizais aroot vegetablethat originates in theAndes, whosestarchytaprootis a popular food item acrossSouth Americawhere it is a major commercial crop.
Being aSouth Americanplant, its most common names are in eitherSpanishorPortuguese, the two most spoken languages in thatcontinent.
The namearracacha(orracacha) was borrowed intoSpanishfromQuechuaraqacha,and is used in theAndeanregion. The plant is also calledapioorapio criollo("Creolecelery") in Venezuela,apioinPuerto Rico,zanahoria blanca("white carrot") inEcuador, andvirracainPeru.
Its Portuguese names are usually derived from the plant's similarity to other well knownvegetablesandroots. It is known as eithermandioquinha("littlecassava") orbatata-baroa("baronesspotato") in most regions ofBrazil, but other common names in certainregions of that countryincludebatata-salsa(“parsleypotato”),batata fiúza("trustworthypotato"),cenourinha-branca("little whitecarrot"), andcenourinha-amarelaor simplycenoura-amarela("little yellow carrot" or simply "yellow carrot"), among others.
It is sometimes calledwhite carrotoryellow cassavainEnglish, but these names may also refer to other vegetables.
The leaves of arracacha are similar toparsley, and vary from dark green to purple. The roots resemble fat shortcarrots, with off-white skin.  The interior may be white, yellow, or purple.
The plant is native to the region west of the Andes and grows at altitudes varying from 200 to 3,600 meters with an optimal altitude of between 1,800 and 2,500 meters. It is frequently grown with other crops such asmaize,beans, andcoffee. The plant is very susceptible to viruses and is slow to mature (10–12 months), but requires much less fertilizer input than the potato. Its harvest season in the Southern Hemisphere spans from January to September. Arracacia's roots need to be picked promptly lest they become woody. They have a short shelf life and must reach consumers within a week of harvest. Fresh arracachas can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.
Arracacha cultivation can be very lucrative. It was imported into Brazil in the 19th century and has been grown commercially since the 1960s. Brazilian crop improvement programs have developed varieties that are ready to harvest in seven months.
The most widely used part of arracacia is its starchy root. It cannot be eaten raw, but when cooked it develops a distinctive flavor and aroma that have been described as "a delicate blend of celery, cabbage and roasted chestnuts."
The boiled root is used in similar ways to boiled potatoes, including being served as side dishes, mashed or whipped intopurées, formed intodumplingsandgnocchi, as an ingredient in pastries, or creamed into soups, commonly garnished with chopped cilantro and croutons, though arracacia's flavor is stronger, and (depending on the variety) its color is more brilliant.
In the Andes region, arracacia is made into fried chips, biscuits, and ground into a coarse flour. The small size of arracacia starch grains make it highly digestible, and so purées and soups made from it are considered excellent as food for babies and young children.
The young stems can be eaten cooked or in salads, and the leaves can be fed to livestock.
100 grams of arracacha provide about 100calories, 26g of which are dry matter, 23g beingcarbohydrate, and less than 1g ofprotein. The plant is rich incalcium, having four times as much aspotatoes.
The yellowcultivarcontains substantial amounts ofcarotenoidpigments, precursors tovitamin A, to the point that excessive consumption of arracachas may cause yellowing of the skin, a condition that is not considered to be harmful.