15

I recently ordered a grocery delivery from Whole Foods, and as I was ordering I noticed they had rutabagas, which I've never had before, so I decided to try them. What I got was this:

an unknown vegetable

They don't look anything like any picture I can find online of rutabagas, which are supposed to look like a large turnip. Instead, these appear to be some sort of yam. (That is, an actual yam, not a sweet potato, which for some reason is commonly called a yam in the US!)

Adding to the confusion, they appear to be coated with a thick layer of wax. I googled vegetables covered with wax, and all that shows up is lots of pages about rutabagas! Rutabagas, it turns out, are commonly waxed to keep them from drying out. I can't find any information about waxed yams, though. So, what are these things?

Tetsujin
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Josh
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4 Answers4

39

It looks like it could be yuca/cassava, based on the appearance alone. (Note: this is not the same as or related to yucca.) The picture on Wikipedia even shows a waxed version.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava

Cascabel
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Jorgomli
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8

It really looks like cassava. Are you in the U.S.? Can you call the Whole Foods that prepared your order to confirm this vegetable? You can Google "cassava," and "rutabaga," and see the clear differences between vegetables... yours looks like the former, while rutabagas look like balls of white and pink (like beets). Also, be sure to look up how to cook/prepare cassava. Hope it goes well!

https://www.google.com/search?q=cassava+root&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiV19yn4-ngAhVNMt8KHTwADNUQ_AUIDigB&biw=1315&bih=684

April
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0

It is definitely not a rutabaga or taro and is likely not a yam either.
It is most likely a cassava tuber.
Rutabaga is much rounder and is usually tinted pink; regular taro is also quite rounded.
Giant taro on the other hand does bear a passing resemblance however it has concentric ring s rather than longitudinal cracks.
Yams have a more rounded end at least on one end.

Harrychink
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It looks like taro root to me, if it's purple inside it probabls is.

https://www.google.com/search?q=taro&safe=active&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS820US820&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjghf7L0OngAhUIip4KHe2kA-kQ_AUIDigB&biw=1091&bih=1388&dpr=1.1

Brian
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