>From Lost Crops of the Incas: Some of the most striking-looking roots in Andean markets are the ullucos (Ullucus tuberosus, Basellaceae). They are so brightly colored – yellow, pink, red, even candy striped – that their waxy skins make them look, almost like plastic fakes. Many are shaped like small potatoes but others are curiously long and curved like crooked sausages. Their skin is thin and soft and needs no peeling before eating. The white to lemon-yellow flesh has a smooth, silky texture with a nutty taste. Some types are gummy when raw, but in cooking, this characteristic is reduced or lost. Indeed, a major appeal of ulluco is its crisp texture, which remains even when cooked. They can be kept for a year at cool room temperatures, but they should not be exposed to light lest their skins turn green. The green leaves are also nutritious, boiled or raw, not unlike those of Basella rubra (Malabar spinach).