Go to a Mexican market. Buy a pack of nopales. Scrub them under cold water to remove the glochids—those tiny, hair-like spines that sting like crazy. Wear gloves. I’m not kidding. I once got a glochid in my thumb, and it itched for three days.
How to Eat Cactus: A Guide to Edible Prickly Pear and More
Slice the pads into strips. Boil them for 10 minutes, then drain. The slime will mostly disappear. Now you can add them to tacos, eggs, or a smoothie. Yes, a cactus smoothie. It’s weirdly good.
For the fruit (the tuna), grab it with tongs. Cut off both ends, then slit the skin lengthwise. Peel it like a banana. Eat the inside raw, or blend it into a sorbet. The seeds are edible but crunchy—spit them out if you want.
