So you've just finished your amazing taco in one of Mexico City's taquerias and are wondering what are those peculiar, yet tasty and crunchy little green things? Then picture the Mexican landscape, the rolling hills, the mountains in a distance and...and what else?
Think harder, aren't you missing something?
Well, what about the quintessential Mexican cactus? YES! You have just eaten strips of cactus pad as have done many other Mexicans and gringo's alike for many, many years.
This exquisite food is called nopal in this corner of the world. This tasty and healthy cactus which gets used as a vegetable has always been a part of the Mexican cuisine even way before the Spanish invasion. However, it is thanks to the Spanish explorers that took the plant back to Spain from Mexico, that the nopales (prickly pear) are now scattered across Europe and North Africa. Nowadays it can be found all over Mexico, parts of the US and as mentioned in the Mediterranean basin.
Since setting foot in Mexico City, I have been eating them mixed with scrambled eggs, stewed with pork sausages, onions, tomatoes, etc. and I have to say that it's an exquisite staple of the Mexican diet. Of course, nopales are eaten everywhere in Mexico and you'll find them quite often in your breakfast or as a side to your main dish, they can be grilled, boiled, sautéed or even eaten raw. If you wonder what they taste like, to me nopales strike a good balance between green beans and green peppers due to their crunchy texture. A very delicious part of the cactus is its fruit which is called prickly pear. Both cactus pads and fruit need to be carefully peeled by removing all the thorns with thick gloves before they can be enjoyed. The best places to find the cactus pads (already peeled and ready to be cooked) are big supermarkets or at one of the many traditional and vast Mexican street markets where you can also find amazing tea, jams and juices made from it.
Nopales have many health benefits too. In fact, they are rich in fibre, full of antioxidants, low in carbohydrates and help in the treatment of diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity. Also, if you happen to have had one too many the night before, remember that this superfood can help you recover from an otherwise potentially dreadful hangover the day after!