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Jicama and Cucumber With Lime

Jicama and cucumber with lime is cool, tasty and lean

What would Montezuma have to say? According to a front-page article that appeared in the local newspaper on March 24, Mexico is now the second fattest country in the world after the United States. The story chronicled the rise in obesity and diabetes in Mexico since 1989, primarily attributing the problem to consumption of snacks and fast foods that are high in fat and sugar.

Anthropologists believe when Europeans first came to the New World, the average native of the Americas had a diet nutritionally superior to that of the average European. The native diet included vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables. Europeans suffered from scurvy and other vitamin deficiencies; Montezuma's people did not.

Since 1989 Mexico has gone from 10 percent of adults being overweight to more than 30 percent classified as obese. Although this sounds like a contemporary problem, one might argue that Mexico has a cultural history that paved the way for the acceptance of fried foods and other high-fat items.

When the Spaniards conquered Mexico in 1523, Spain was in the throes of the Inquisition. The monarchy and church were attempting to drive Jews and Moors from Spain or have them convert to Christianity. Neither group ate pork. Eating pork became a symbol of being a Christian.

In Spain, olive oil was used to fry food. In the New World, lard replaced olive oil, in part because there was a shortage of oil. Using lard was also a symbol of faith. Prior to the Spanish invasion, the native population did not fry food. Tamales were made without fat, and meats were very lean.

The idea that all Mexican food is high in fat is false. Mexico has many marvelous dishes that require little or no fat. One of my favorite Mexican snacks is a simple preparation of cucumber and jicama that doesn't really require a recipe. In Mexico you will frequently find street vendors selling some version of this. It's cool, refreshing and easily made.

Of course, it does require taking 5 minutes to peel and cut vegetables. I suppose that some people would say that is too long compared to the 2 seconds that it takes to open a bag of Cheetos.

Jicama and Cucumber With Lime

6 to 8 servings

• 1 small jicama
• 2 large cucumbers
• 3 limes
• 1/4 cup hot sauce, or more
• Salt

 

 

 

 

Peel the jicama and cucumber, and cut in 3-inch-long spears. Cut limes in eight wedges. Arrange vegetables on individual plates. Instruct each diner to pour a little hot sauce onto their plate, squeeze lime juice over the vegetables and sprinkle the vegetables with salt. Dip the vegetables in hot sauce and enjoy.

Note: If you like, you can also include pieces of mango, pineapple or melon.

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