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Something
delicious beneath the prickles
Article Contents
What
is it?
The plant is the genus Opuntia from the Cactaceae
family, or what is commonly known as the Prickly Pear Cactus. Nopal means cactus in
Spanish and Nopales is term for "cactus stem". The term Nopalitos refers
to the pads once they are cut up and prepared for eating. There are two food crops
derived from the prickly pear cactus. One is the "nopalitos" which
are the cactus pads and the other crop is the prickly "pear" or fruit of the
cactus.
Nopales History
The cactus is most likely a
native to Mexico. It is has been noted that the Nopales was grown and eaten as a
vegetable in Central Mexico, since before the Spanish arrived. The Spanish explorers
took the plant back to Spain and the plant spread throughout North Africa with the
Moors. The plant is currently grown throughout Mexico as well as parts of the United
States and in many areas of the Mediterranean.
How To Harvest and Prepare Nopalitos
(Nopales)
Commercially two sizes of
nopales pads are harvested which is small, (less than 10 cm long) or (medium less than 20
cm, about 100g). The Nopales leaf pads are usually harvested between spring and the
end of summer. Select thin pads no longer than 20cm or 8 inches. Make
sure to wear heavy gloves to harvest the pads yourself. The pad will snap off easily or
you can use a large knife to sever the stem. Beware, there are large and fine thorns so be
sure to keep your hands protected. To prepare the pads remove the thorns and the
"eyes" with a vegetable peeler or a small paring knife
or this new gadget designed just for spine
removal. Wash the pads well with cool water and peel or
trim off any blemished or discolored areas.
Slice the pads in long slices or in pieces or leave
whole depending on the dish you will prepare.
How To Eat and Use Nopales
Nopales is a vegetable that
can be eaten grilled or boiled. Over cooking may give them a slightly "slimy"
texture you may want to avoid. Frequently the nopales are added to eggs, or as a vegetable
in soups, chilies or a filling in a tortilla.
The best preparation we have tried is to prepare the
nopal leaves (remove spines) then grill
over hot coals till tender and slightly browned. Then slice into
nopalitos strips and toss with a squeeze of lime and a little bit of
olive oil. They are delicious. There is also a local restaurant
that grills portobello mushrooms
along with the nopales an slices both and serves them tossed together.
How To Store Nopales
You may store fresh (not
wrinkled) nopales refrigerated, tightly wrapped, for up to two weeks.
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Prickly Pear Fruit
The prickly pear fruits,
referred to as Tunas in Spanish are eaten in Mexico as well as the in the
Mediterranean In Italy they are called fichi d'india. The most common
varieties eaten are the yellow, white, and purple pears. The pears with the purple
interior are the sweetest. The fruit has numerous tiny spines and must be carefully
peeled before eating. They can be eaten chilled or room temperature. It is customary
in Italy to present the fruit in a bowl of cold water.
The prickly pear fruit is also
the base for prickly pear jams and jellies as well as Mexican "cactus candy".
Peeling
a Prickly Pear Fruit
1.Place the fruit in a large bowl of chilled water.
This helps to wash away some of the spines (not all). Use the following procedure to
peel the fruit:
2.Fold 2 or 3 sheets of paper toweling together.
3.Handling the pear on it's ends, lift if from the
water and place the pear on the toweling
4.Keep the towels wrapped around most of the
pear. Use a small sharp knife and make a slice along one side of the length of the
pear cutting just through the skin.
5.Now use the toweling to protect your hands and peel
the skin from the pear.
To serve, slice the pear
horizontally into 1/4" thick slices and place on a plate. The purple pears
make a particularly beautiful presentation with their dark seeds and purple flesh.
Recipe Links
Recipes for everything from eggs to cocktails using nopalitos and prickly pears.
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Other
Links
GourmetSleuth Nopalitos Links
Giant Food Vegetable Guide
Source for
Prickly Pear Cactus Seeds
Desert Delicacies -
Prickly (Cactus) Pear Products |
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Where
To Buy
It is best to purchase
fresh nopales at a Mexican market. See
our handy tool below for preparing
nopales.
Nopalitos are normally found
in cans or jars in any grocery store that sells Mexican foods. Fresh nopalitos are
available in Mexican markets.
Gourmetsleuth.com
- We sell Embassa
nopalitos, the most versatile brand available, simply packed in
water.
Nopal Prep Tools
Necessity is once again the mother of invention.
This handy set of tools takes the pain out of cactus thorn removal.
nopales knife set -
effortlessly removes thorns from nopal (cactus) paddles
The short right angle blade holds the nopales (cactus paddle) down
while you scrape and remove the spines with the flat knife blade.
Its simple and fast and the best part, no thorns in your hand! The
set comes complete with an acrylic cutting board the two nopales
tools and a fruit scraper. The fruit scraper is used to remove fruit
from the peel, use for papaya, watermelon, even avocados. Available
at Gourmetsleuth.com |
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Photograph by J.Holtz
Nutrition |
| 1
- medium, fresh -- about 1.25 cups (100 grams) |
| 16 |
calorie |
| 1.2 grams |
protein |
| trace |
fat |
| 3.3 grams |
carbohydrate |
| 22 mg |
sodium |
| 2.3d grams |
fiber |
| 0 mg |
cholesterol |
View complete nutrition table
Medicinal Uses
An excerpt from Medicinal
Use Of The Latin Food Staple Nopales: The Prickly Pear Cactus
By Miguel Angel Gutierrez
"The nopal has been used as a medicinal
plant and is a hallmark vegetable in the Latin American diet. Various studies have
demonstrated Opuntia’s ability to affect blood glucose and hypercholesterolemia. The
intake of prickly pear pectin decreases plasma LDL levels, increases expression of
apolipoprotein receptor expression, increases hepatic LDL turnover, and affects
cholesterol homeostasis in guinea pigs. Prickly pear pectin, however does not affect
absorption of cholesterol in guinea pigs. The prickly pear cactus demonstrates the ability
to decrease blood glucose levels as well the hyperglycemic peak during glucose tolerance
testing. In addition, Opuntia has demonstrated the ability to control experimentally
induced diabetes. Similar studies, along with domestic surveys have prompted international
evaluation of the prickly pear cactus to determine its ability to regulate glucose
utilization. Currently, homeopathic industries have begun to incorporate opuntia into
supplements intended to help regulate plasma glucose levels."
Basic
Cooking Method
I
N G R E D I E N T S
Nopales pads, washed and
prepared
Salt
Put the prepared and cut up pieces in a pot with boiling, salted water. Cook for 15
to 20 minutes without a lid. When the leaf-pads are cooked, pour off the water and then
rinse with cold water. The nopalitos can now be used in salads, stews or as a vegetable.
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Featured Recipe printable version
Ensalada
de Nopalitos (Cactus Salad)
This delicious recipe is compliments of the Epicenter.com Visit this sites terrific spice encyclopedia.
I
N G R E D I E N T S
3 cups cooked nopales
3 tbsp chopped white onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
2 tbsp fresh lime juice or vinegar
T O P P
I N G
3 tomatoes, sliced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco or añejo or Monterey jack cheese
1/3 cup purple onion rings
3 canned chiles jalapeños en escabeche, cut into quarters lengthwise
1 avocado, peeled and sliced (optional)
romaine lettuce for the side of the serving platter
I N S T
R U C T I O N S
- Mix the nopalitos with
the next four ingredients and set aside to season for 30 minutes. Stir well and adjust
seasoning.
- Spread the nopalitos
over the platter about 1 1/2 inches deep. Decorate with the tomatoes slices and top with
cilantro, cheese, onion rings, chile strips, and slices of avocado (if used).
- Overlap the romaine
leaves around the edges of the platter and serve at room temperature.
Green Beans or chayote can be
substituted if cactus is not available.
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Includes achiote, ancho chili powder, avocado
leaves, canella powder, chipotle powder, epazote and Mexican oregano.
Buy Mexican Cooking Tools at
GourmetSleuth.com
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