Q. I have Indian cactus and each year they grow flowers
that have a bulb or fruit coming from the pads about 3 inches tall. I have been
told that these bulbs make great jams. Is this true and if so, can you tell me
how to make this jam?
that have a bulb or fruit coming from the pads about 3 inches tall. I have been
told that these bulbs make great jams. Is this true and if so, can you tell me
how to make this jam?
+compressed.jpg) |
| Red fruits (tunas) of nopal cactus. The flesh of the fruit is removed from the tuna by cutting the ends off and partially slicing the fruit lengthwise. |
A. What you call the Indian cactus, we now more commonly
call the Nopal cactus because of its Mexican heritage. When nopal cactus pads
are prepared as human food they are then called nopalitos.
call the Nopal cactus because of its Mexican heritage. When nopal cactus pads
are prepared as human food they are then called nopalitos.
Nopal
cactus is harvested in Mexico for three purposes; fresh vegetable, fruits and
animal or livestock feed. These plants are native to Central America, in
particular the arid parts of Mexico and Central America, and are a staple part
of their diet. I might add nopal cactus has some great documented health
benefits related to lowering high blood pressure, lowering the incidence of
diabetes and provide a lot of dietary fiber.
cactus is harvested in Mexico for three purposes; fresh vegetable, fruits and
animal or livestock feed. These plants are native to Central America, in
particular the arid parts of Mexico and Central America, and are a staple part
of their diet. I might add nopal cactus has some great documented health
benefits related to lowering high blood pressure, lowering the incidence of
diabetes and provide a lot of dietary fiber.
 |
| Nopal cactus pad about at the right stage for harvesting for fresh vegetable. the spines are removed, washed and used fresh or cooked. The taste resembles a cross between aparagus and green beans with the texture of okra. |
Not all
nopal cacti are the same in quality when used for fresh fruits and vegetables.
Generally speaking if your nopal cactus is producing fruits but the birds are
not devouring them when they are ripe, you will probably not like them either.
However, if the birds love to devour these fruits then you are in business.
nopal cacti are the same in quality when used for fresh fruits and vegetables.
Generally speaking if your nopal cactus is producing fruits but the birds are
not devouring them when they are ripe, you will probably not like them either.
However, if the birds love to devour these fruits then you are in business.
There
are selections of nopal cactus that are superior in these regards. I was
growing two of these selections provided to me by faculty from the University
of Sonora. These selections were nearly spineless.
are selections of nopal cactus that are superior in these regards. I was
growing two of these selections provided to me by faculty from the University
of Sonora. These selections were nearly spineless.
But when
you grow nopal cactus for food you have to push their growth with frequent
irrigations (every two weeks in the summer) and fertilizer and plant them with
lots of compost. I will post more information on the nopal cactus and how to
make this jam on my blog.
you grow nopal cactus for food you have to push their growth with frequent
irrigations (every two weeks in the summer) and fertilizer and plant them with
lots of compost. I will post more information on the nopal cactus and how to
make this jam on my blog.
Jam of Prickly Pear
Ingredients:
(1kg) of prickly pear fruit (tunas) peeled (15 tunas approximately)
3 1/2 cups of sugar (840 g )
1 tablespoon of pectin
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Cut prickly pears in pieces and blend only half of them. Keep
the rest. (Because the seeds are very hard, I pureed all the fruit and strained
the pulp.) Put blended fruit into a pan and cook over medium heat; as soon as
it begins to boil, add the pectin, the sugar and the lemon juice. Keep stirring
the mixture constantly with the spoon. Once it starts the first boil, while
stirring, add the remaining fruit if you desire. Remove the jam from the heat when
it acquires a thick consistency and when shaking pan the bottom can be seen
(more or less after one hour). Put the hot jam into the sterilized container
immediately. (Our test jam cooked more quickly.
Be careful not to overcook.)
the rest. (Because the seeds are very hard, I pureed all the fruit and strained
the pulp.) Put blended fruit into a pan and cook over medium heat; as soon as
it begins to boil, add the pectin, the sugar and the lemon juice. Keep stirring
the mixture constantly with the spoon. Once it starts the first boil, while
stirring, add the remaining fruit if you desire. Remove the jam from the heat when
it acquires a thick consistency and when shaking pan the bottom can be seen
(more or less after one hour). Put the hot jam into the sterilized container
immediately. (Our test jam cooked more quickly.
Be careful not to overcook.)
Packaging and Preservation for safety
On a dry cloth, place the
sterilized bottles or jars. Pour in the still hot jam, with the help of a spoon, leaving a minimum space of a half inch
between the mouth of the bottle and the jam. Allow some steam to escape and
close it tightly to form vacuum. Let cool to room temperature and place a label
in the bottle with the product name and date. Jam
will be ready for its consumption in 12 hours after it was prepared. This jam
will keep for a year in a fresh and dry place. Once opened, the jam must be
refrigerated and consumed in a month.
sterilized bottles or jars. Pour in the still hot jam, with the help of a spoon, leaving a minimum space of a half inch
between the mouth of the bottle and the jam. Allow some steam to escape and
close it tightly to form vacuum. Let cool to room temperature and place a label
in the bottle with the product name and date. Jam
will be ready for its consumption in 12 hours after it was prepared. This jam
will keep for a year in a fresh and dry place. Once opened, the jam must be
refrigerated and consumed in a month.
Alternative ingredients:
The
lemon juice can be replaced by ¼ tablespoon of ascorbic acid or one crushed Vitamin
C tablet of 500mg.
lemon juice can be replaced by ¼ tablespoon of ascorbic acid or one crushed Vitamin
C tablet of 500mg.
Recommendations:
To keep the jam in good condition, sterilize the bottles
and the cover in the following way: wash them thoroughly, retire the labels and
put them to boil (with enough water so they keep cover all time) during 15
minutes counted from the first fervor or boiling. Taking off by far care, with
the aid of clamps or a knife in a hand and a dry rag in the other; place the
bottle and the cover on a totally dry and clean cloth (if no, the bottle can be
broken). Do not touch the jam with the hands when it is still hot, since it can
cause a serious burn.
and the cover in the following way: wash them thoroughly, retire the labels and
put them to boil (with enough water so they keep cover all time) during 15
minutes counted from the first fervor or boiling. Taking off by far care, with
the aid of clamps or a knife in a hand and a dry rag in the other; place the
bottle and the cover on a totally dry and clean cloth (if no, the bottle can be
broken). Do not touch the jam with the hands when it is still hot, since it can
cause a serious burn.
To take a small taste of the jam before complete the heat
treatment, take a few with a spoon, drain it in a plate, and leave it to cool
completely.
treatment, take a few with a spoon, drain it in a plate, and leave it to cool
completely.
Jam of Nopalitos
Ingredients:
300 g (3/4lb.) of clean and sliced nopales into little
squares (approximately 3 large pads)
squares (approximately 3 large pads)
200 g (1 1/4cup) of sugar
1 cup of boiled or chlorinated water (drinkable water)
1 dry maize leaf (those used for making tamales)
2 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 pinch of sodium bicarbonate
Cook nopalitos in a pot with sufficient water and the maize
leaf until they are soft. Remove maize
leaf and discard. Drain the nopalitos in the strainer, rinse them with cold
water and separate ¼ cup to use them later. Blend the rest of nopalitos to
obtain a purée. Put purée and sugar into large pan and cook over medium heat,
stirring constantly with spoon for 10 minutes. When it begins to boil, add the
lemon juice, bicarbonate and the nopales that were keep before. Skim off the
foam that is formed with stirring mixture. When the mixture is clear and thick,
jam is ready. Remove from heat. For extra punch, add 3 finely minced Serrano chilies.
leaf until they are soft. Remove maize
leaf and discard. Drain the nopalitos in the strainer, rinse them with cold
water and separate ¼ cup to use them later. Blend the rest of nopalitos to
obtain a purée. Put purée and sugar into large pan and cook over medium heat,
stirring constantly with spoon for 10 minutes. When it begins to boil, add the
lemon juice, bicarbonate and the nopales that were keep before. Skim off the
foam that is formed with stirring mixture. When the mixture is clear and thick,
jam is ready. Remove from heat. For extra punch, add 3 finely minced Serrano chilies.
Packaging and preserving:
Put the jam, still hot, into the sterilized jars. Allow ½
inch space between the jam and the mouth of the container. Before closing the
container tightly, allow steam to escape to form a vacuum. Before consuming the
jam, let cool at room temperature for 12 hours.
The jam may be processed in a water bath for longer shelf life. Label
with name and date. The jam is conserved until by eight months. Once the jam is
open, it should be refrigerated.
inch space between the jam and the mouth of the container. Before closing the
container tightly, allow steam to escape to form a vacuum. Before consuming the
jam, let cool at room temperature for 12 hours.
The jam may be processed in a water bath for longer shelf life. Label
with name and date. The jam is conserved until by eight months. Once the jam is
open, it should be refrigerated.