Nopal

Nopal(pluralnopales) is a common name inSpanishforOpuntiacacti (commonly referred to in English asprickly pearortender cactus), as well as for its pads. The namenopalderives from theNahuatlwordnohpalli[noʔˈpalːi]for thepadsof the plant.
There are about 114 known species in Mexico,where it is a common ingredient in numerousMexican cuisinedishes. Thenopalpads can be eaten raw or cooked, used in marmalades, soups, stews and salads, as well as being used fortraditional medicineor as fodder for animals. Farmednopalesare most often of the speciesOpuntia ficus-indicaorOpuntia matudaealthough the pads of almost allOpuntiaspecies are edible. The other edible part of thenopalcactus is the fruit, calledtunain Spanish and "prickly pear" in English.
Nopalesare generally sold fresh in Mexico, cleaned of spines, and sliced to the customer's wishes on the spot. They can also be foundcannedor bottled asnopalitos, and less oftendried, especially for export. Cut into slices or diced into cubes,nopaleshave a light, slightly tart flavor, likegreen beans, and a crisp,mucilaginoustexture.  In most recipes, the mucilaginous liquid they contain is included in the cooking.  They are at their most tender and juicy in thespring.
Nopalesare most commonly used inMexican cuisinein dishes such ashuevos con nopales"eggswith nopal",carne con nopales"meat with nopal",tacosde nopales, in salads with tomato, onion, andqueso panela(panela cheese), or simply on their own as a side vegetable.Nopaleshave also grown to be an important ingredient inNew Mexican cuisineand inTejanoculture ofTexas.
Per UScupserving (236.6 ml),nopalfruit is an excellent source of thedietary mineralmanganese(20% of theDaily Value, DV) and a good source ofvitamin C(13% DV),magnesium(11% DV) andcalcium(14% DV),with nutrient content improving as the plant matures.However, its calcium may not be biologically available because it is present ascalcium oxalate, a non-absorbable complex in the small intestine.
Thenopalcactus grows extensively throughout Mexico, being especially abundant in the central Mexican arid and semi arid regions. In Mexico there are over 3,000,000hectares(7,400,000acres) of land used to cultivatenopal. There are three typical ways to cultivatenopalcacti — commercial plantations, family farms and gardens, or in the wild. Approximately 57,000 hectares (140,000 acres) are used to produce prickly pear fruit, 10,500 hectares (26,000 acres) for the pads production, and 100 hectares (250 acres) tocochinealproduction.In 1996 there were 10,300hectares(25,000acres) prickly pear farmers, as well as around 8000 generalnopalfarmers, with all of the people involved in the processing industries and in cochineal production, employing a significant number of the Mexican population.Nopalis grown in eighteen of the Mexican states with 74% in theMexico Citymetropolitan area, with an annual yield of 58,000 tonsof both thetunaand the pads.The farming ofnopalprovides many subsistence communities with employment, food, income, and allows them to remain on their land.
Detection of the cactus-eating mothCactoblastis cactorumin Mexico in 2006 caused anxiety among the country'sphytosanitaryauthorities, as this insect can be potentially devastating for the cactus industry.In 1925, the same insect was successfully used inAustraliato control the quickly growing population of cactus, which had become aninvasive speciesafter its introduction.