How to Identify Chufa

Chufa is a common plant throughout the world. It usually grows as a weed, but is sometimes grown as a food crop for animals. It is a nutritious plant; but because harvesting technology has not been refined, the edible tubers usually remain in the ground unused. Since chufa is so common and nutritious, is an important plant to be able to identify for wilderness survival. Read on to learn how to identify chufa.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Find a weedy area. Chufa can often be found in fields, whether or not they are cultivated. It grows particularly well in moist, sandy soil.
2. Look for a weed with a triangular stem and long, grass-like leaves. The mature plant will have a bloom that extends upward from a ring outward-extending of leaves. The bloom will have a furry texture.
3. Dig up the tubers that grow at the end of the roots of the chufa plant. Digging it up may be difficult. The looser the soil, the easier time you are going to have digging the tuber from the ground.
4. Eat the tuber raw, or you can boil it or roast it before eating it.
5. Press the tubers to collect the oil. This can be used for later cooking.

Tips & Warnings

• The tubers of the chufa plant are rich in carbohydrates, protein and oil. It provides energy from different sources, making it a great survival food.
• Chufa tubers are used to make a version the traditional drink, horchata.
• When eating any wild plant, positive identification is essential to prevent poisoning.