Nopal
An edible cactus treat
What is it?
Also known as "prickly pear," nopal is a plant that has long been glorified by the people of Mexico, where it grows natively, for its uses in food, drink, medicine, and construction. Nopales are more than just a dietary staple:
"[They are a] major symbol of identity for the Mexican people. Together with maize and agave, opuntia has been a staple food, instrumental in enabling human settlement and cultural development of the Chichimeca groups of the centre and north of the country." –FAO
Scientifically known as the Optunia Ficus-Indica, nopales are the sixth most popular vegetable in Mexico and represented $150 million in sales in 2007 (Brasch, Sam).
"It gives corn a run for its money in terms of cultural significance." –Sam Brasch, Modern Farmer
The nopal plant has existed on the American continent for over 25,000 years. Legend has it that the eagle and snake on top of the prickly pear leaves on the Mexican coat of arms today were told to found the legendary Aztec city Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) by the Sun God. Interestingly enough, "Tenochtitlan" actually means "the place where the nopal leaves grow on stone."
"Research indicates Mesoamericans cultivated the Opuntia Ficus-Indica more than 9,000 years ago, making it one of the world's first domesticated plants." –Sam Brasch, Modern Farmer
"In Mexico the cultivation of prickly pear plants occupy 230 thousand hectares, of which 67 thousand are used for fruit production with an estimated yield of 400 thousand tons of fruit per year." –Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
The largest nopal producer in the world is Milpa Alta, Mexico. After the Spanish Conquest, nopal spread up to Alberta, Canada and down to Patagonia, Argentina to span the entire American continent and eventually the rest of the world.
"When the Spanish came, the nopal was taken (some would say “stolen”) to Portugal, Greece and Italy and then to Algiers, Morocco, Tunisia, and South Africa." –HipLatina
Nopal Farm in Milpa Alta https://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/mexico-city/2018/milpa-alta/
Today, Italy is second to Mexico in cactus fruit production.
Nopal Farm in Italy https://previews.123rf.com/images/gkuna/gkuna1608/gkuna160800963/61682280-plantation-of-prickly-pear-in-sicily-italy.jpg
Latin Specialties
Of all the companies that grow and distribute nopales, Latin Specialties is the widest and most distinguished. According to their website, the company originally began by farming strawberries in Michoacán, Mexico in the 1960s and grew by developing relationships with multi-national produce distributors. They relocated to Texas in the 1990’s to “take advantage of the vast opportunity to serve the growing Hispanic market in the United States.” –Latin Specialties
“Our History.” Latin Specialties. Latin Specialties Produce Corporation, 2019. http://www.latinspecialties.com/our-company/our-history/
Distribution Map
Beginning in Michoacán, Mexico, Latin Specialties then transported to Houston, TX, the nopales are distributed all around the world. Specifically, though, to places like Orland, CA and Albuquerque, NM.
Farming & Preparation for Distribution
"The borough of Milpa Alta, as the main nopal producer in Mexico, requires a high amount of fertilizers to guarantee the fulfillment of yields and times of cultivation. –Modern Economy
Nopal grows easily in dry, arid climates. In fact, it grows so well that in some places, it is considered a weed. They are also generally grown orchard-style and because they are such hardy plants, they don't compete with other crops such as wheat, beans, barley, and corn because they have no trouble growing on hillsides and land that wouldn't support the more conventional crops.
https://psmag.com/environment/saving-mexico-cities-water-forest
Machines are not used to harvest the pads, because it can be done more efficiently in the traditional manner. Despite being hardy in the way they grow, nopal is actually quite delicate. Traditional harvesting involves cutting the pads at the base by hand and de-spining them with twig brushes. This is labor-intensive and difficult, which is why it is typically done in the morning when the humidity is high enough to keep the spines from detaching and injuring the harvesters. The main post-harvest activity that must be done is the removal of the spines. This makes for fairly simple post-harvest operations that can be handled on a small scale. When complete, the pads are packaged in wooden crates and transported to larger marketplaces that ship them to different states.
This video shows the process of harvesting nopales. It also brings up an interesting topic for a future study; according to the video, the ease of growing combined with the nutritional value of the prickly pear cactus makes it a possible solution to world hunger.
This shows Milpa Alta, Mexico and Mercado De Acopio De Nopal, which is a large distributor of nopal.
Consumption
Tortas de Camaron (Shrimp Fritters)
https://cookpad.com/eeuu/recetas/645283-tortitas-de-camaron-seco
Ingredients
- Nopales
- Salt
- Onion
- Green peppers
- Shrimp
- Garlic
- Eggs
- Tomatoes
- Cooking oil
- Pepper
- Parsley
Directions
Cook the onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, oil, parsley, salt, and pepper until it comes to a boil. Add in the sliced nopales. Then, while that mixture is simmering, beat egg yolks and add salt and flour. Fold in the shrimp and fry on a sauce pan in the oil. Drain, and then pour tomato mixture over the fritters and serve.
Story
Cristina Calva
I interviewed my good friend Cristina Calva, who is from Orland, CA. Both of her parents are immigrants from Mexico and she is passionate about food, so I knew she would have some good stories to tell. She told me about about Tortas de Camaron, which she learned from her grandmother and they ate around Easter time. Because this is when nopales are most ripe, the ingredients were likely very fresh around that time. They were purchased from a small, Mexican market right down the road from their home in Orland, which were possibly shipped by Latin Specialties all the way from Michoacán.
Cristina and her grandmother
Future Studies
"The way we feed ourselves is no longer sustainable, we have been told for years, but we continue to push the planet to the limit with our daily decisions. For this reason, FAO – the United Nations agency that guides an international effort to end hunger and foresee food crises that may come in the future due to climate change – is turning to see foods that can help us. One of the candidates that we have to take into account is the cactus." –The Mazatlan Post
While researching nopales, I learned a lot about its cultural significance. However, what struck me the most was its sustainability. Its nutritional value as well as the minimal water it requires for cultivation play a bit part in this. Several of the articles I read mentioned its potential role in the future of food, taking into account climate change and world hunger. I would love to dive deeper into this realm and find out exactly how nopal might be a major "food of the future."
Bibliography
Brasch, Sam. “A Prickly Question: Could Cactus Be the Next Kale?” Modern Farmer. Modern Farmer Media, October 10, 2018. https://modernfarmer.com/2014/01/thorns-aside-americans-begin-eating-cactus/.
Elena, Tavera Cortes María, Escamilla García Pablo Emilio, Alvarado Raya Horacio, Salinas Callejas Edmar, and Galicia Villanueva Silvia. “Regional Development Model Based on Organic Production of Nopal.” Modern Economy 05, no. 03 (February 27, 2014): 239–49.
Losada, Hermenegildo R., Jorge E. Vieyra, Lorena Luna, José Cortés, and Juan M. Vargas. “Economic Indicators, Capacity of the Ecosystem of Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Megacantha) and Environmental Services in Teotihuacan, México to Supply Urban Consumption.” Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences 6, no. 1 (June 2017): 85–91. https://doi.org/10.15640/jaes.v6n1a9.
Mondragón-Jacobo, Candelario, ed. Cactus (Opuntia Spp.) as Forage. Rome: FAO, 2001. http://www.fao.org/3/Y2808E/y2808e00.htm#Contents.
Montoya, Yvette. “Cultue Vultures Are Coming For Nopales.” HipLatina, April 11, 2019. https://hiplatina.com/nopales-food-trend/.
“Our History.” Latin Specialties. Latin Specialties Produce Corporation, 2019. http://www.latinspecialties.com/our-company/our-history/.
“The Nopal Is the Food of the Future According to the UN.” The Mazatlán Post. The Mazatlan Post, June 27, 2019. https://themazatlanpost.com/2019/06/27/the-nopal-is-the-food-of-the-future-according-to-the-un/.
Photo Sources
Title slide: https://www.southernkitchen.com/recipes/breakfast-brunch/papalote-taco-house-s-nopales-mushroom-and-tomato-breakfast-taco
What is it? slide: https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/english/7-health-benefits-eating-nopales and https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Mexico_(1916-1934).svg
Future Studies slide: https://themazatlanpost.com/2019/06/27/the-nopal-is-the-food-of-the-future-according-to-the-un/
