Cactus Fruit

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.