What is the prickly pear?

Pichy pear, also known as cactus pear or ton of fruit , has large, fleshy pads. Prickly pear is a component in various recipes, including jam, jelly and dessert sauces. Pillows, fruit and seeds of prickly pears are edible, but the bark is not. Members Optuntia genus, prickly pears grow in North American deserts and other parts of the world. The prickly pear Cactus grows in the southwestern US and Mexico in well -drained soil. In Canada, an extremely cold tolerant form of cactus can also be found.

Pichied pear has yellow, red or purple flowers and height ranges from 1 foot (0.3 m) to 6-7 feet (1.8-2.1 m). In addition to normal cactus spines, prickly pears have another, slightly barbed spine called Glochids .

Use fruit of prickly pears for jelly, preservation, cucumbers and salsa. Combine banana, honey, vinegar, lemon and lime juice with prickly pear fruit for vinaigrette. You want to make tropical fruit salad,He peeled and a slice pricked by pear and combine with mead, Guava, pineapple and other fruits. Non -salted butter, prickly pears cactus fruit, honey and coriander create flavored butter. The fruit is also used in cracks and dried as refreshments.

Cactus stems, called nopales , are fried or grilled, similar to other vegetables. Use pads in mixed egg bowls and salads. nopalitos refers to pillows as soon as they are cut and ready.

When choosing a prickly pear, avoid those that are soft or have a dark soft spot. The fruit is generally ready for harvesting at the end of summer or early autumn. You want to choose fruit from cactus, use leather or rubber gloves or long handling. Ripen at room temperature.

be the use of the prickly pear when cooking Careful remove all the spine. You want to remove Glochids,Use a knife to cut off or peel the skin. Other methods of glochid removal include the passage of fruit by open flame or shaking it in a hot coal bag.

pillows and fruits of prickly pears are useful in stabilizing blood sugar because they are rich in slowly absorbed soluble fiber. Because the prickly pear cactus contains a significant amount of vitamins B1 and B6, it is also sold in the form of capsules as a supplement. Research is underway to determine whether the cactus is useful in controlling cholesterol, obesity, gastrointestinal disorders, skin problems and even viral infections.