Arracacha

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Name Variations

 * apio

About Arracacha
Wikipedia Article About Arracacha on Wikipedia

The arracacha is a garden root vegetable originally from the Andes, somewhat intermediate between the carrot and celery. Its starchy taproot is a popular food item in South America, especially in Brazil where it is a major commercial crop.

The name arracacha (or racacha) was borrowed into Spanish from Quechua, and is used in the Andean region. The plant is also called apio criollo ("Creole celery") in Venezuela, zanahoria blanca ("white carrot") in Ecuador, virraca in Peru, and mandioquinha ("little cassava") or batata-baroa in Brazil. It is sometimes called white carrot in English, but that name properly belongs to white varieties of the common carrot.

The leaves are similar to parsley, and vary from dark green to purple. The roots resemble fat short carrots, with lustrous off-white skin. The interior may be white, yellow, or purple.