chufa

n.
An Old World sedge (Cyperus esculentus var. sativus) having edible nutlike tubers.

[From Spanish chufar, to make fun of, alteration of chuflar, to whistle, ridicule, from Vulgar Latin *sufilāre, alteration of Latin sībilāre, sīfilāre, to hiss, whistle at. See sibilant.]

[CHOO-fuh] Actually the tiny, tuberous roots of an African plant of the sedge family, chufa "nuts" are immensely popular in Spain and Mexico, primarily as a base for the refreshing drink, horchata. They have a brown, bumpy skin and a sweet, chestnutlike flavor. Dried chufas are available in bags in many Latin markets and natural food stores. Store them, tightly wrapped, in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Besides their use in horchatas, chufas make an excellent snack. They're also known as earth almonds, earthnuts and tiger nuts.

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: European sedge having small edible nutlike tubers
  Synonyms: yellow nutgrass, earth almond, ground almond, rush nut, Cyperus esculentus

---