What is yam called in South Africa? It’s known as ‘Elephant’s Foot‘ in English, in isiZulu ‘ingwevu’, meaning grey/old or ‘ifudu’, meaning tortoise; in Sepedi the name is ‘Kgato’ – ‘to stamp’. In the 1950s, the yam was heavily exploited by the British pharmaceutical firm Boots for the production of cortisone.
What is a yam in South Africa?
A well known South African yam is Dioscorea elephantipes that occurs from the Clanwilliam area in the Western Cape to Graaff Reinet in the Eastern Cape. It is affectionately termed Elephant’s Foot, due to its large, protruding, above-ground tuber that sometimes reaches 2 m in height.
What is the local name for yam?
Pictures
| Title | Caption |
|---|---|
| Leaves | Dioscorea alata (winged yam, uhi); leaves. Maui Nui Botanical Garden, Maui. November 06, 2006 |
| Flowers | Dioscorea alata (winged yam, uhi); flowers. Maui Nui Botanical Garden, Maui. November 06, 2006 |
| Yamlet | Dioscorea alata (winged yam, uhi); yamlet. Maui Nui Botanical Garden, Maui. November 06, 2006 |
Are yams the same as sweet potatoes?
Sweet Potatoes, often called ‘yams’, are a dicot (a plant having two embryonic seed leaves) and are from the Convolvulacea or morning glory family.
What are African yams called?
Africans call yams “nyami,” which is where we get the word “yam.” They are cylindrical and vary in size. Some of the largest yams have weighed more than 100 pounds and have been several feet long.
Do you get yams in South Africa?
They occur in tropical and warm temperate regions of the world including parts of southern Africa. Many of the 400 or so species in the main genus, Dioscorea, are vines with edible, starchy tubers and are commonly known as yams.
Is Cassava the same as yam?
The main difference between cassava and yam is that cassava possesses a higher percentage of calories than yams. It is true that yams and cassava are tuberous root vegetables. Both cassava and yams grow out of a flowering plant.
Are yams potatoes?
It’s true: yams and sweet potatoes are totally different plants and are not even closely related. In fact, these tasty starchy veggies are actually in two different plant families entirely! Yams are members of the genus Dioscorea and are in their own special family, Dioscoreaceae.
What do yams look like?
Yams have a cylindrical shape with blackish or brown, bark-like skin and white, purple, or reddish flesh. Compared to sweet potatoes, yams are starchier and drier. They’re carried in more grocery stores these days, but your best chance of finding them is to look in international and specialty markets.
What are the types of yam?
YamRepresentative speciesThe six (6) edible yam species are Dioscorea alata (water yam), Dioscorea rotundata (white guinea yam), Dioscorea esculanta (Chinese or lesser yam), Dioscorea cayenensis (yellow guinea yam), Dioscorea bulbifera (aerial or bulbils yam)and Dioscorea dumetorum (trifoliate or bitter yam) (Purseglove, 1972; Degras L. 1993).
Can I substitute yams for sweet potatoes?
Though you’re not likely to find true yams at your grocery store, yams and sweet potatoes are interchangeable in most recipes.
Which is healthier yams or sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are more nutritious than yams. Sweet potatoes and yams are both healthy foods, and they look similar. Sweet potatoes, however, have higher concentrations of most nutrients and more fiber.
Which is sweeter yams or sweet potatoes?
Sweetpotatoes are almost always sweeter than yams. They have versatile flavor easily altered by cooking methods. Starchier and more potato-like, usually not very sweet. Versatile; flavor easily altered by cooking methods.
Are African yams sweet potatoes?
Yams are not sweet Potatoes – Let’s clear this once and for all. I know a lot of people confuse yams and sweet potatoes. True yams are not sweet potatoes. They are two different root crops, and they are not related at all.
What is Ghana yam?
Ghana Yams are closely related to lilies and grasses. Native to Africa and Asia, yams vary in size from that of a small potato to a record 130 pounds. Origin: Ghana – Africa. Availability: Year-Round.
What are Nigerian yams?
Yam is in the class of roots and tubers which provides many Nigerians with some 200 calories of energy per capita daily. Yams are dug out of the ground when harvested. The New Yam Festival is significant in many cultures as yam is the first crop harvested during the harvesting season.
Are raw yams poisonous?
Naturally occurring plant proteins found in yams can be toxic and cause illness if consumed raw. Peeling and cooking yams thoroughly will remove any harmful substances ( 17 ).
How many types of yam do we have?
Some 870 species of yams are known, and 95% of these crops are grown in Africa.
How do sweet potatoes grow in South Africa?
Sweet potatoes grow well in sandy-loam, loam or clayey-loam soil. The crop needs good drainage and is sensitive to waterlogging, salinity and alkalinity. Optimum pH (H20) is 5.6 – 6.5. Stony or clay soil is not good, as it does not allow the formation (development) of good storage roots.
What is another name for cassava?
cassava, (Manihot esculenta), also called manioc, mandioca, or yuca, tuberous edible plant of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) from the American tropics.
Is taro same as yam?
Taro is grown from the tropical taro plant and is not one of the nearly 600 types of yams. Summary Taro root grows from the taro plant, and unlike purple yams, they are not a species of yam.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.