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Sopa de nopales
Cactus paddle soup
Sopa de nopales (sopa de nopales): central Mexico's light cactus-paddle soup with tomato, onion and chilli
In Mexico City, Puebla and the towns of central Mexico, sopa de nopales is cooked at home during Lent and on any warm day when tender cactus paddles are cheap in the market. Diced nopales simmer in a light tomato and chilli broth with onion and coriander, giving a soup that is tangy, fresh and a little green-tasting, like green beans crossed with okra. It is very light, with about 3 g of protein per bowl; add a can of pinto beans or crumble fresh cheese on top for more. The most common mistake is putting raw nopales straight into the soup, which turns it slimy: boil them separately first and rinse them. Chef's tip: add a few tomatillo husks or a pinch of bicarbonate to the boiling water for the nopales; it helps set the slime so it rinses away.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the nopales
- 14 oz nopales (cactus paddles)spines removed, cut into 1 cm squares
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the soup
- 14 oz ripe tomatoesquartered
- 1 white onionhalf roughly chopped, half finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 dried guajillo chilliseeded, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 ¼ cups vegetable stock
- 1 tsp saltto taste
- 1 handful fresh corianderchopped
- 1 limecut into wedges
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Bring a pan of water to the boil with ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda. Add 14 oz nopales (cactus paddles) and boil for 8–10 minutes, until they turn olive green and the sticky liquid has thickened. Drain and rinse well under cold water until no longer slippery.
10 minStep 2: Blend 14 oz ripe tomatoes, the roughly chopped half of ½ white onion, 2 cloves garlic and the soaked 1 dried guajillo chilli until smooth.
Step 3: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pot over a medium heat and fry the finely chopped half of ½ white onion for 3 minutes until soft.
3 minStep 4: Pour in the tomato purée and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes, until it darkens a shade and smells cooked rather than raw.
5 minStep 5: Add 4 ¼ cups vegetable stock, the nopales and 1 tsp salt and simmer for 6 minutes for the flavours to blend.
6 minStep 6: Stir in 1 handful fresh coriander and serve hot with 1 lime to squeeze over, and warm corn tortillas.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 80 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sopa de nopales take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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