Biology:Cactus fries
Cactus fries or nopalitos fritos is a side dish originating in the Southwestern United States, made of battered and deep-fried prickly pear paddles or nopales.
History
Cactus fries are an Americanized dish that use traditional Mexican ingredients.[1] The dish is strongly associated with the cuisine of the Southwestern United States,[2] where prickly pear is commonly eaten, and particularly in Texas and New Mexico, where Tex-Mex and New Mexican cuisine has developed.[1]
Preparation
Cactus fries are prepared from nopales, the young segments or "paddles" of the prickly pear cactus.[3][4] Before consumption, the needles and "eyes" are removed from the nopales, typically by scrubbing and rinsing them off,[5] cutting them out or burning them.[4][6] Store-bought nopales typically have most of their needles removed prior to sale.[3][4] The segments are then sliced and dredged in a cornmeal and egg-white batter that has been seasoned with achiote paste before deep frying.[7][8] Other variations use cactus that has been coated in seasoned breadcrumbs[2] or cracker crumbs.[9]
The cactus is coated with mucilage[4] that gives it a slimy texture when cooked.[1] This makes it easier for batter to stick to the cactus, although the texture is considered unpleasant by some.[3][4] Some recipes call for marinating or boiling the prickly pear segments before battering.[7][10]
Cactus fries have a crunchy exterior and a silky interior, which has been compared to that of fried okra and onion rings.[10][11] The flavor of the cactus itself has been compared to asparagus or bell peppers.[12] They are frequently served with a dipping sauce, such as salsa,[5] ranch dressing, or spicy ketchup.[7][10]
Prickly pear cactus
Prickly pear fruit
Gathered prickly pears
See also
- Fried cassava
- French fries
- Fried sweet potato
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Zeitz, Alexandra (2018) (in en). We Eat What? A Cultural Encyclopedia of Unusual Foods in the United States. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 979-8-216-16380-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=D5HCEAAAQBAJ&dq=cactus+fries&pg=PT93.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Olito, Frank. "13 things that only exist in the Southwest" (in en-US). https://www.insider.com/things-that-only-exist-in-southwest.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "13 Tips You Need When Cooking With Nopales" (in en-US). 2022-12-10. https://www.tastingtable.com/1126558/tips-you-need-when-cooking-with-nopales/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "This Is The Right Way To Eat Cactus Without Getting Poked" (in en-US). 2023-01-09. https://www.mashed.com/1160863/this-is-the-right-way-to-eat-cactus-without-getting-poked/.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Palate Pleasing Prickly Pears – Wrightsville Beach Magazine". https://wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com/palate-pleasing-prickly-pears/.
- ↑ mollypaul. "Cactus Fries (Nopalitos Fritos) Recipe - Food.com" (in en). https://www.food.com/recipe/cactus-fries-nopalitos-fritos-85892,%20https://www.food.com/recipe/cactus-fries-nopalitos-fritos-85892.[yes|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 McKey, Nola (2010-07-22) (in en). Cooking with Texas Highways. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-78816-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=AxZDCQAAQBAJ&dq=cactus+fries&pg=PT38.
- ↑ "Cactus Fries Recipe | Side Dish Recipes" (in en-US). https://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/cactus-fries/.
- ↑ "Fried Cactus Strips" (in en-US). https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/fried-cactus-strips/.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Recipe: Nopal (Cactus) Fries and Chipotle Ketchup" (in en-US). 2019-04-10. https://www.expressnews.com/food/recipes-cooking/article/Recipe-Nopal-Cactus-Fries-and-Chipotle-Ketchup-13756469.php.
- ↑ Kong-DeVito, Mary (2013-10-25). "Are You Gonna Eat That? Cactus Fries at Casa Oaxaca" (in en-US). http://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/353362/are-you-gonna-eat-that-cactus-fries-at-casa-oaxaca/.
- ↑ Watts, Linda S.; Clark-Mahoney, Kelty (2022-08-23) (in en). Food and World Culture: Issues, Impacts, and Ingredients [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. pp. 135. ISBN 978-1-4408-7000-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=0T2DEAAAQBAJ&dq=cactus+fries&pg=PA135.
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