Nopal
Nopal is a common name in Spanish for Opuntia cacti (commonly referred to in English as prickly pear or tender cactus), as well as for its pads. The name nopal derives from the Nahuatl word nohpalli [noʔˈpalːi] for the pads of the plant.
There are about 114 known species in Mexico,[1] where it is a common ingredient in numerous Mexican cuisine dishes. The nopal pads can be eaten raw or cooked, used in marmalades, soups, stews and salads, as well as being used for traditional medicine or as fodder for animals. Farmed nopales are most often of the species Opuntia ficus-indica or Opuntia matudae although the pads of almost all Opuntia species are edible. The other edible part of the nopal cactus is the fruit, called tuna in Spanish and "prickly pear" in English.
Nopales are generally sold fresh in Mexico, cleaned of spines, and sliced to the customer's desire on the spot. They can also be found canned or bottled as nopalitos, and less often dried, especially for export. Cut into slices or diced into cubes, nopales have a light, slightly tart flavor, like green beans, and a crisp, mucilaginous texture. In most recipes, the mucilaginous liquid they contain is included in the cooking. They are at their most tender and juicy in the spring.[2]
Nopales are most commonly used in
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Economic value
The nopal cactus grows extensively throughout Mexico, being especially abundant in the central Mexican arid and semi arid regions. In Mexico there are over 3,000,000
Detection of the cactus-eating moth Cactoblastis cactorum in Mexico in 2006 caused anxiety among the country's phytosanitary authorities, as this insect can be potentially devastating for the cactus industry.[8] In 1925, the same insect was successfully used in Australia to control the quickly growing population of cactus, which had become an invasive species after its introduction.[9]
Gallery
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Budding -
Bud emerging -
Young pad growing -
Spines start developing -
Fresh nopal for sale at a market
See also
- Nopaltilla
- Okra
References
- S2CID 31888291.
- ISBN 1-931686-07-6
- ^ Daniel, Frank Jack (April 16, 2007). "Thorny Mexican food staple gains fame as folk cure". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 3, 2007.
- ^ Nutritiondata.com. "Nopales, Raw, Nutrition Facts, USDA SR-21". Conde Nast.
- PMID 21655119.
- PMID 14995148. Retrieved 2006-08-10.
- JSTOR 3496377.
- ^ Cactus-eating moth threatens favorite Mexican food (Mon Feb 19, 2007)
- ^ Patterson, Ewen K. 1936. The World's First Insect Memorial. "The Review of the River Plate", December pp. 16–17