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I wanted to share a cactus recipe I like. Nopales con huevo (cactus with egg) is an easy to make introduction to nopales (prickly pear paddle). It's one of my favorite Mexican dishes

Part I: Getting nopales

You can buy nopales at most Hispanic grocery stores. When selecting pads, don't worry about scarring or minor discoloration. Other than that, I think you all know what healthy cacti looks like Also, in my experience thicker paddles are more flavorful

Part II: Preparing the nopales

First wash to remove any loose spines, debris, ect. Next carefully remove the spines. I've found that a potato peeler will remove most of the spines. I use a paring knife for the rest. Note that it's not necessary to remove the skin, just area around the spines

Wash again to remove any loose spines or debris. Cut into strips 1/4" to 3/8" wide and maybe 2" long (0.5- 1 cm by 5 cm)

Boil for 8-10 minutes. Be careful to keep the pot from boiling over

Drain and RINSE THOROUGHLY. Rinsing removes the slime. This is very important; slime is the #1 reason people dislike nopales and it's completely avoidable

This method works for any recipe that calls for cooked nopales. I've heard they make a good addition to salads as well

In my experience, the nopales' weight doesn't significantly change from raw to prepared

Part III: Making nopales al huevo

Translated from lasrecetasdelaabuela.com/receta/nopales-con-huevo

Ingredients
1/2 kg cooked nopales
2 medium tomatoes
1 onion [*1]
2 green chiles [*2]
4 eggs
Salt
Oil

Instructions [*3]

Dice tomatos, onion and chiles. [*4] Remove seeds from chiles for mild heat
Oil and heat a frying pan [*4] on medium-high heat
Add tomatoes, onion and chiles
Cook [*4] until onion is translucent and tomatoes have mostly disappeared. Stir frequently to prevent burning
Add nopales
Cook for a few minutes
Add egg while stirring
Add salt to taste
Continue stirring until egg is cooked
Remove from heat and serve

Serves 3 people. In my experience, this dish keeps well in the fridge and makes good leftovers

Notes

1) The recipe calls for a 'chicha' onion. I have not been able to find a culinary meaning of 'chicha' My best guess is the recipe is calling for a sweet onion

2) You can substitute 3 or 4 jalapenos if you can't find green chiles. Again remove the seeds for mild heat

3) The instructions in the original recipe were rather vague (which seems to be a feature of Mexican recipes in gereral). Details I added are preceded by [*4]

4) See note 3

Enjoy!

Thanks for the recipe! I'll have to try it tomorrow
Why do you boil the pads though? Is that a necessary step? I just grill them and then use them in whatever way intended.

ElieEstephane wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2019 7:26 pm Thanks for the recipe! I'll have to try it tomorrow
Why do you boil the pads though? Is that a necessary step? I just grill them and then use them in whatever way intended.

I boil mine because I don't have a grill. I don't know that one way is better than the other. The original recipe simply calls for "cut, cooked and drained" nopales. Let me know how it turns out!

Interesting recipe. Thanks for sharing this.

I didn't know we could eat Opuntia cacti. I grow the form called "kaynana dili" where I live (I think they call it prickly pear in English) I would like to try