Scientifically known as Cactaceae Opuntia spp, the edible cactus is known for its flavor and diverse use in the kitchen. It is known by many common names including nopal, nopalitos or prickly pear cactus, and naturally grows in dry, desert regions of the United States, Mexico and South America. Yvonne Savio, a master gardener from the University of California, writes that prickly pear cacti grow in other areas of the world so well that countries such as South Africa and Australia consider it a weed. Fruit, stems and roots can be eaten, however, the fruit and stems are the most commonly used.
Selection and Preparation
Step 1
Visit your local specialty grocery store or pick from a healthy plant.
Step 2
Choose pads that are uniformly bright green to dark green and firm. Avoid pads that are wrinkled, soft, soggy or any color other than green.
Step 3
Choose fruits that are firm to the touch. Fruit color will depend on variety and include yellow, green or magenta.
Step 4
Put on gloves made of leather or other similar material.
Step 5
Remove eyes and spines by peeling the skin under the spines with a peeler or knife. Burning is another method of removing spines.
Sautéed Nopalitos
Step 1
Chop the prickly pear pads into small squares using a sharp knife. Chopped or diced pads are commonly referred to as nopalitos.
Step 2
Add 1 tbsp. of cooking oil in a frying pan.
Step 3
Preheat the cooking oil in the pan for one to two minutes over medium-high heat.
Step 4
Add thicker vegetables such as garlic, onions and peppers to the pan.
Step 5
Add the nopalitos as the other vegetables start to soften.
Step 6
Stir continuously until vegetables are soft. Check for softness by piercing each vegetable with a fork. The softer the vegetable is, the easier piercing it will be.
Step 7
Add seasonings and thinner vegetables such as tomatoes, stirring until the skin softens.
Grilled Nopalitos
Step 1
Slice the prickly pear pads lengthways, starting from the top and stopping just before the bottom. They should look similar to large fringe.
Step 2
Heat the grill according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Step 3
Lightly brush the pads with cooking oil.
Step 4
Place the oiled pads on the grill, turning occasionally for three to six minutes or until soft.
Step 5
Remove the nopalitos from the heat and serve.
Prickly Pear Fruit Juice
Step 1
Peel the skin of the prickly pear fruit using a knife or potato peeler.
Step 2
Place peeled fruit into a food processor and puree it.
Step 3
Place a strainer over a large bowl.
Step 4
Pour the pureed fruit into the strainer and allow the juice to drain through into the bowl.
Step 5
Smash the remaining pulp with a large spoon to release any leftover juice into the bowl. Discard the pulp.
Step 6
Freeze, drink or add the resulting juice to recipes calling for fruit juice.
Tips and Warnings
- Boiling the cactus pads in salted water for 15 minutes after peeling them if you do not prefer the initial slimy texture is recommended by the American Indian Health and Diet Project.
- Do not touch the spines on prickly pear pads. These spines bear barbs at each end, which are generally too small to remove and are very painful to touch. Picking many pads from one cactus will likely kill the plant. If you need large quantities, visit a grocery store or pick from multiple plants.
Things You'll Need
- Prickly pear pads
- Prickly pear fruit
- Leather gloves
- Potato peeler
- Vegetables of your choice
- Seasonings
- Food processor
- Strainer
References
- University of California Cooperative Extension; Prickly Pear Cactus Production; Yvonne Savio; July 1989
- American Indian Health and Diet Project; "Traditional Indigenous Recipes"; Prickly Pear Cactus Pads; Devon A. Mihesuah
- Cooking with Cactus; Nopales Cactus; Karen H. Graber; January, 2008
- YouTube; How to Make Prickly Pear Fruit Juice; Take A Hike Arizona.com; August, 2009
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