Mexico
Nopalitos (or nopales) are cactus pads. This unlikely-looking vegetable is very tasty – sort of like a cross between green beans and asparagus, but sweeter – and also nutritious. It is extremely popular in Mexico, served in soups, salads, marinated, sautéed with chile, onions and tomatoes or tomatillos as a taco filling. We sell fresh nopales in our stores, which must be scraped to remove the thorns, but these are prepared, cut into strips and ready to use.