Agua de Nopal con Piña
Nopal, the prickly pear cactus plant is a vegetable and a fruit and is loaded with health benefits. The green paddles (pods), called nopalitos, are the vegetable and the red colored pear (tuna) of the cactus is the fruit. The pears are only available in the summer months. The word “Nopal” is derived from the indigenous mesoamerican náhuatl language – “nochtli or nopalli”.
Try this easy to prepare colorful, healthy and refreshing drink. Present it at your next brunch or barbecue and your guests will be drawn to it by it’s bright lime color. There are many variations of combining fruits and greens with nopal so feel free to experiment. Let’s get started.
Ingredients
6 cups water
1 pineapple peeled and cut into large pieces
1 lb nopal paddles (cactus) cut into large pieces
1/3 cup sugar
2 limes juiced optional
Purchasing Nopales
Fresh nopales are also sold in some super markets and most Mexican markets – whole or pre-cut. They are usually sold trimmed of spines but you may want to remove the nodes using a knife followed by a good rinse in water. Select smaller paddles that are bright and fresh looking; these will be tender.
Preparation
- If you purchased nopal with spines, remove these nodes using a knife followed by a good rinse in water. Cut the paddles into large pieces.
- In a food blender, liquify the nopal and pineapple with 1 cup of water. You may need to do this in batches depending on the capacity of blender.
3. Strain the mixture, add the remaining water and lime juice.
4. Add sugar to taste and serve cold.
Notes
The nopal was used by the Mexicas (Aztecs) to combat fever and other ailments; today it continues to be used for medicinal purposes. It’s high in anti-oxidants, low in calories and cabohydrates, high in vitamin C, A, calcium and iron. It’s very popular in Japan. As you may have surmised, it goes great with tequila. Buen Provecho.
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