Known as tuna across Mexico. Watermelon meets strawberry meets a clean, earthy sweetness, with hard seeds you swallow rather than chew. Handle with a tea towel — even when the visible spines are gone, the glochids will catch you. Worth it for the colour alone.
About Cactus fruit (prickly pear)
The cactus fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica) — known across Mexico as tuna — is the fruit of the prickly pear cactus. The flesh ranges from deep magenta to pale orange depending on cultivar; ours run on the magenta side, with a juicy, almost watermelon-like texture and a colour that stains everything it touches.
Flavour reads as a quiet cross between watermelon and strawberry, with a clean earthy backbone that never tips into vegetal. The hard seeds are edible — most Mexican families swallow them whole rather than chewing — and they add a faint nuttiness on the bite.
Wear gloves or hold with a tea towel, slice the ends off, score the skin lengthways and peel back. Eat cold, or blitz the flesh with lime and a pinch of salt for a margarita base. The juice doubles as natural pink food colouring.
Did you know?
- DNA evidence traces domestication to central Mexico, where the closest wild genetic relatives of Opuntia ficus-indica still grow.
- The species hybridises freely with other Opuntia; spineless cultivars are favoured for fodder and for easier hand-harvesting of fruit.
- In Cyprus the fruit is called papoutsósyka — 'shoe figs' — after the thick, shoe-like shape of the pads it grows from.
Sources: Wikipedia
How to eat
Below are the general steps that work across most kitchens. The description above is the source of truth for any cultivar-specific detail — cross-check before you cut.
1. Check ripeness
Use the cues in the description above. As a rule, exotic fruits do most of their ripening off the tree — give them a day or two at room temperature if they feel firmer than expected.
2. Wash and chill
Rinse under cold water, pat dry, and chill before serving. Cold flesh holds shape better when sliced and brings the aromatic notes forward.
3. Cut, scoop or peel
Follow the technique described above. If in doubt, halve crosswise with a sharp knife and taste a spoonful before committing to a full prep.
4. Pair simply
A squeeze of lime, a pinch of salt, or a drizzle of honey will lift almost any tropical fruit. Match strong cheese, cured meats or yoghurt for a board; keep flavours minimal when the fruit is the star.
From the Cacti & dragon fruit: Always chill before slicing. Cold pulls the floral notes forward and makes the texture feel more like sorbet.
Buy this fruit
Sourced ripe and graded by hand. UK next-day delivery on every order placed before the daily cutoff.