Mexican · Authentic-ish Mexican
Nopales
111 kcal a serving, against 269 for the traditional version. That is 158 kcal off, or 59%, with 5.1g of protein. Serves 4. 25 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Cactus paddles boiled until soft, then aggressively fried in a heavy glug of vegetable oil alongside sliced white onions and red chillies. The whole lot is tossed together and buried under a thick blanket of crumbled queso fresco.
What changed, and what each change costs
60g of vegetable oil reduced to 10g of olive oil.
Frying the cactus in a deep puddle of oil adds massive amounts of fat without doing much for the flavour. Tossing the vegetables in just 10g of oil and grilling them holds the structure while cutting out a huge amount of fat. It forces the intense heat to do the work instead of the grease.
What it costs you. You lose the fried, slippery richness. Grilled nopales are firmer, slightly drier and have a much more aggressive char. If you want them to melt in your mouth, this dry heat method won't do it.
100g of queso fresco cut down to 50g.
Cheese is heavy, and drowning the plate in it masks the sharp, green taste of the cactus. Halving the amount leaves just enough for a salty contrast.
What it costs you. A vegetable dish with a cheese garnish, then. Not a rich, cheesy side dish anymore, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. You'll definitely notice the missing dairy.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 269 | 111 |
| Protein | 7.6g | 5.1g |
| Fat | 22.7g | 6.5g |
| Saturated fat | 6.4g | 2.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 10.3g | 9.8g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2.8g | 4.6g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. milk.
The method is in the book
Getting hold of fresh nopales in a British supermarket is a serious challenge, but if you find a good greengrocer who stocks them, buy them immediately. This preparation highlights exactly why they are brilliant. They are a staple for a reason, and keeping them simple is the best way to respect the ingredient. By ditching the heavy oil and treating them to a hard sear, you get a sharp, smoky side dish with real bite. It lacks the comforting, greasy heft of a traditional fry-up, but I think the bright, acidic flavour of the cactus is much better for it.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Mexican, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback