Nopales preparation and cooking (cactus pads)

Mesoamerica — Opuntia cactus is native to the Mexican and American Southwest; consumed for over 9,000 years

Nopales are the pads of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) — one of Mexico's most distinctive vegetables. Young, tender pads (nopalitos) are preferred. Preparation involves removing all spines with a sharp knife, then cleaning and dicing or slicing. Raw nopales exude a mucilaginous (sticky) gel during cooking, similar to okra — some preparations embrace the gel; others minimise it through boiling, salting, or grill-cooking. Nopales are nutritionally dense (fiber, vitamins) with a slightly tart, green, grassy flavour.

Slightly tart, green, grassy — mild and neutral enough to work in many contexts; the texture (gel or crisp, depending on preparation) is as important as flavour