How do you prepare cactus to eat?!
How do you prepare cactus to eat?
I have a cactus plant, and parts of it are ripening and turing yellow and reddish. sorry, i cant find a good picture on how to describe it, but what part can you eat and how do you eat it? (after you take off the thorns), can you just eat it raw or what?
Answers:
Make sure the pads you select are not wrinkled, soggy or too soft. These pads (or paddles) are modified branches, which range in color from pale to dark green. They also contain sharp, thorny needles, which are modified leaves. These, thorny needles must be removed with a knife or vegetable peeler before cooking. Remove any nodules, the thick stem, and trim the edges off of the pads as well. Make sure you wear rubber or leather gloves when handling cactus to avoid injury from the thorny needles. They can be tightly wrapped and stored in a refrigerator for one to two weeks.
Once you have removed the needles, nodules and thoroughly washed the pads, they are ready for the grill. Cook each pad for approximately 10 to 12 minutes on each side. While grilling, brush each side of the cactus pad with olive oil or a flavored oil of your choice. Pepper or garlic-flavored oil are often used on grilled cactus.