ក្តួច, Asiatic Bitter Yam (Dioscorea hispida)

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ក្តួច, Asiatic Bitter Yam (Dioscorea hispida) is a spiny vine variety of Dioscorea that produce poisonous tubers. It cannot be eaten as is. Below is a method that tge Khmers used to process it since the ancient time. This method will rid of toxins. It MUST undergo a sstrict4-5 days  processed before it is safe for consumption. The Khmers used it as a filers during famine period, or when circumstances called for. After being processed and cured,  it is used as a fillers cooking with rice or making sweet snacks cooking it with sweet rice and jackfruit or others fruits. 

INSTRUCTIONS:  MUST follow this strict step by step instructions to make it edible. 

  1. Peal, thinly slice, salt, load in pails, and let cure overnight.  
  2. Next day, squeeze to get rid of salt and liquid, wash, rinse, and squeeze. Repeat this process a couple of times, or till water is clear. 
  3. Then load it into a mesh or weave basket and let submerge in the stream of running water for 3-4 days.  Gently stir and fold every day during this duration. 
  4. Final step,  retrieve the content,  wash, rinse, and squeeze. Repeat this process a few times. At this stage,  it can be cooked for consumption or dehydrate;  sundry or lightly pan toast till completely dry for shelf-life storage.







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