TROPICAL YAMS AND THEIR POTENTIAL, PART 3 



29 



texture, and low in oxidizing tend- 

 ency. 



It is difficult to distinguish the 

 taste of D. alata tubers from those 

 of other edible species. Neverthe- 

 less, considerable variation exists, 

 and some yams are recognized as 

 tasting better than others. In areas 

 where the fine-textured, white- 

 fleshed varieties are not seen, 

 coarse texture and strong flavor 

 are very much appreciated. These 

 coarse yams are not very good for 

 processing. Among persons just 

 learning about yams, the palate is 

 rapidly accustomed to the fine, 

 white types. It is a general belief 

 that such types were selected and 

 ennobled by early man. Good yams 

 for eating have rich characteristic 

 flavors that are well accepted by 

 almost all persons. They may be 

 slightly sweet, especially after long 

 storage. 



COOKING AND 

 PROCESSING 



By far the greatest use of the 

 wing-stemmed yam is as a boiled 

 vegetable. The tuber is served in 

 pieces or mashed or in soups, 

 where, finely divided, it serves as 

 a thickener. Tubers are sometimes 

 roasted, or the mashed yam is fried 

 as a cake. In these forms yams are 

 often eaten with an oil or a sauce. 



A special potential for yam cook- 

 ery is french fries and chips. The 

 best varieties for these purposes 

 have fine, dense flesh, low poly- 

 phenolic oxidation, and no antho- 

 cyanin. Frying at 190° C in corn 

 oil or corn oil-lard mixtures results 



in products superior to similar po- 

 tato products. Varieties especially 

 suited for fried products have been 

 selected (23), 



The preparation of instant yam 

 flakes has been investigated in 

 Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and Bar- 

 bados (1^). The processes are 

 washing, lye peeling, trimming, 

 slicing, cooking, maceration or 

 finer cutting, mixing with water, 

 drum drying, and packaging. The 

 flakes store well, are easily pre- 

 pared for the table, and have good 

 flavor. Quality is strongly influ- 

 enced by variety, but rather coarse 

 yams with a tendency to oxidize 

 may yield very acceptable instant 

 flakes if an antioxidant is used, be- 

 ginning with the slicing operation. 

 The costs of processing would 

 probably make exportation, but 

 not domestic consumption, profit- 

 able. 



Flours have been made from 

 yams by simple processes by many 

 peoples. Flours made from dried 

 yam must be distinguished from 

 the use of fresh yam as a substitute 

 for flour in baking. Whereas the 

 former process permits storage of 

 the yam, the latter may be con- 

 sidered as just another way to use 

 fresh yam. The usual technique 

 has been to peel and slice the tuber, 

 dry the slices in the sun, and then 

 grind the slices into meal. If mois- 

 ture content is lowered sufficient- 

 ly, dried powdered yam can be 

 stored for a long time. Such flour 

 can be cooked to yield a thick soup 

 or mashed yam or can be substi- 

 tuted for all or part of other flours 



