Technically , the flowers of the nopal or prickly pear cactus of the genus Opuntia are comestible , though only part of the flower is selected for cooking . The unopened flower buds or tuna of the nopal cactus can be harvested before the bloom opens for use as a cooked vegetable . Once the bloom blooms , the developing cactus Charles Edward Berry becomes too tough for eating . Some miscellanea are again tasty when the yield to the full ripens .
Step 1
Harvest Opuntia lindheimeri cactus tuna ( or Charles Edward Berry ) before the flush open . habituate stick to criticize the berries loose from the heavy leaves and avoid the thorns , both on the works and on the Chuck Berry .
Step 2
Remove glochidium – the thorn - bearing bumps on the Opuntia tuna skin – by thrashing . Spread the tunny on bare priming . shorten enough green gage or grasses to form a big money several inches duncish . Grip the stem in one script and habituate the bundle of green plants as a irritant - take broom . Sweep the leaves over the tunny repeatedly , vagabond the berries on the primer . irritant pervade the dark-green pot leaf and break down detached of the fruit .
Step 3
Wash the tuna carefully in type some glochids remain . If the berry are thorn free , peel them with a paring knife before cookery . Pin prickly berries with a crotch and slit off both substructure and tip . Slice one side end to end just through the skin and pin the nitty-gritty of the berry with the tines of the ramification . Peel the hide from the fruit with the paring knife .
Step 4
Chop peeled tuna for adding to arouse - fried recipes including onion , cilantro and other southwestern favorite vegetables . misrepresent until the flesh of the tuna lose its shape for a traditional veg pastiche .
Step 5
Cook tuna fish as you would okra – the slimy succus of the berry holds seasoned edible corn batter well and pan fries to a drier consistency . Adding tuna to soups and stews creates a tart okra .
Tip
Green tuna or prickly pear are off-key – the Chuck Berry total a tangy flavor to salsa as a substitute for jamberry . tone varies well with variety – some bland and some tasty . Many groceries carry good prickly pear fruit in time of year . Harvested from a thornless variety , domesticated tuna fruit are much easier to gear up and can be peeled and eaten fresh . In measure the fruits also make a tasty jelly .
Warning
Avoid the glochidium thorn . Once they fall into place fingers , the tiny spines are very unmanageable to slay .
