Family Oxalidaceae

This member of the wood sorrel family is a perennial tuber of the Andes and second only to potatoes in the roster of staple food crops of the region. It is now commonly consumed in Mexico and in New Zealand, where it is known as New Zealand yam, but is only rarely available elsewhere. Oca is eaten raw, pickled, or cooked like potatoes: boiled, fried, mashed, or roasted. Its texture is crunchy when raw and starchy and mealy when cooked. In Mexico and South America, oca comes in various shades of purple to tan; the New Zealand variety is a pretty pink.