Okay, yes, I have been a little obsessed with venison recently. As someone who has a crazy Uncle Bob from Idaho (Uncle Bob is not actually crazy, he’s just a democrat), I grew up my whole life lusting after venison and antelope when my family from Idaho Falls would travel from Idaho to southern California. If we were very lucky, they would pack the 80’s era Igloo (Chcock full of 80’s era BPA’s I’m sure) but also packed
to the brim full of frozen game meat such as antelope steaks. With those delicious farm-to-table antelope steaks back in the mid-90s, a game-loving foodie was born. Until just recently, I would never have imagined substituting jicama for a starchy potato. I never would have imagined combining jicama with venison but when you are living that keto lifestyle, well, you make some interesting life choices. And that is how I came up with this unique keto jicama recipe.
After a morning of snowshoe shenanigans with my favorite adventure pup at my side, I may be so ready for a healthy Indian inspired keto dinner by the evening hours. Creating this keto jicama recipe in the pressure cooker is actually pretty speedy when it comes to an authentic Indian meal. And let’s face it, that gives you even more time to get in that last snowshoe hike of the season!
Keto Jicama Recipe Madness
So, honey, let’s talk about jicama—aka the crunchy little root vegetable that looks like a potato, acts like a water chestnut, and tries really hard to crash every health-conscious potluck like it’s doing you a personal favor. Why yes, this is a Goan-style Indian recipe chock full of cumin, balsamic vinegar and Indian chilis. No way would you ever actually find jicama anywhere near the country of India! And frankly, my Indian family members would probably think this is pretty damn nutty to substitute jiacma for good old fashioned carb-filled spuds.
But when you are invested in living your life carb-free free you make some questionable lifestyle choices. No, I’m not talking about voting for Orange Julius Caesar; I’m speaking about keto jicama recipes!
Why is jicama good for you?
First of all, jicama is good for you because it’s basically Mother Nature’s crunchy cleanse. It’s like eating a raw veggie that went to SoulCycle and drinks green juice. It’s full of fiber—like, “you’ll be seeing results by tomorrow morning” kind of fiber. Not to be graphic, but if your digestive system is moving slower than a Target checkout line on Sunday, jicama is about to be your new BFF. I know, I know, you read Goan Indian food recipe. You already figured you would be crying on the toilet after an evening of stuffing your face full of 
Indian dinner delicacies. Well, not only is this spicy Venison keto jicama recipe a fast pass to curry bum, but it’s also chock full of more fiber than you probably usually are used to for dinner.
And bonus? It’s loaded with vitamin C, so you can fight colds and have skin that glows like you’re lit from within by your own virtue (or at least by ring light). Plus, it’s got antioxidants, so basically, jicama is trying to keep you young, fresh, and regular. The Triple Crown of healthy living!
What is jicama usually used for?
Jicama is the social chameleon of the produce aisle. You can slice it, dice it, julienne it like you’re on a cooking show and just trying to get through the immunity challenge. People throw it into salads for crunch, dunk it into hummus like it’s carrot’s cooler cousin, or dust it with lime juice and chili powder and act like they invented snacking.
Mexican street vendors? They’ve been doing that chili-lime magic for years. Pinterest moms found out and now it’s all over summer BBQs in awkward star-shaped trays. And if you’re feeling fancy, some people even toss it into stir-fries like, “Look at me, I’m not boring, I put jicama in this.” But did you know you can impress (Or disgust) your ethnic family members by throwing this keto jicama recipe their way?
Is jicama low-carb?
Oh, bless your little keto heart, YES—it is low carb! Like, “Did I just cheat on my diet? Nope, still safe” kind of low. It’s got about 4 to 5 grams of net carbs per 100 grams, which means your blood sugar won’t start doing the Macarena the second you eat it.
Unlike its shady cousin, the potato, who, let’s be real, will stab you in the pancreas with a carb spike, jicama is your low-carb ride-or-die. It’s the supportive friend who tells you you’re doing great and doesn’t judge you for ordering extra guac.
So go ahead and slice that jicama like the health goddess you are. Or at least pretend to be, while eating it off a paper towel over your sink, like the rest of us.
Want a keto jicama recipe or are we just here for the fiber-fueled sass?
Venison Keto Vindaloo with Jicama “Spuds”
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 pounds of venison steaks, cut into cubes
3 teaspoons ghee
1 white onion, sliced
1 serrano chili, sliced in half
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon grated fresh garlic
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 jicamas, peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces
In a big bowl mix your balsamic vinegar, chili powder, mustard seeds and black peppercorns. Marinate your venison in this for at least two hours. A few hours before you are ready to eat, in a pressure cooker, fry your serrano chili in the ghee. Remove the chili and set it aside. Fry your onions in the ghee until well browned. This should take at least fifteen minutes to get them dark brown. Let this mixture cool, then grind it up in a NutriBullet.
Return this masala paste to the pressure cooker. Add the garlic, ginger and the garam masala and keep mixing it, adding a bit of water at a time until the masala is well-cooked and the spices are not raw. At least ten minutes. Mix in the salt and your venison pieces just until the meat is browned.
Add enough water to cover the venison (Close to 2 cups of water; I do like my vindaloo with lots of gravy, so I do use lots of water). Cover the pressure cooker with the lid and steam until the ball rises. At that point, turn the heat down a bit and cook for twelve minutes. From here, you can prep this part of the meal ahead of time and set it aside until thirty minutes before you are ready to serve. One way or another, set the pressure cooker aside for at least twenty minutes as it cools down off the heat.
When ready to finish this dish, add the jicama to the pressure cooker. Cook with the lid off the pressure cooker for 20 minutes until the jicama is cooked. Garnish your keto jicama recipe with the chopped cilantro.
