Chufa; Chufa nut

This small wrinkled tuberous root of a plant native to Africa (Cyerus esculentus) has bumpy brown skin, white flesh, and a sweet, nutty flavor similar to that of an almond or a chestnut. They can be dried and eaten in a variety of ways—alone as a snack, candied, ground into flour, pressed for a milky liquid, and roasted as the base for a coffee beverage. They are widely popular in Spain and Mexico, primarily as a base for the drink horchata. Also known as tiger nuts, earth almonds, and earth nuts.