Mexican Cactus Paddle Salad with Queso Fresco

What you need

• 500 g (1 lb) fresh nopales, 4-5 cactus paddles; or 700 g jarred nopalitos, rinsed well and used without boiling
• 1 tsp salt, plus extra for the cooking water
• 250 g (2 medium) tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped, plus extra to serve
• 1 serrano chile, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano, Mexican if possible
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 80 g (3 oz) queso fresco, crumbled

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Hold each paddle flat by its base and scrape off the spines and their little bumps with a knife, working away from you on both sides. Trim off the rounded outer edge and the base.

2. 2

   Rinse the nopales well and cut them into 1 cm (1/2 in) squares.

3. 3

   Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a good pinch of salt.

4. 4

   Add the nopales and simmer until they turn from bright to olive green and feel tender, 10-15 min.

5. 5

   Drain into a colander and rinse under cold water until the sticky juice is gone. Leave to drain and cool fully.

6. 6

   Put the cooled nopales in a large bowl with the tomatoes, onion, cilantro and chile.

7. 7

   Rub the oregano between your palms over the bowl, then add the lime juice, olive oil, the 1 tsp salt and the pepper.

8. 8

   Toss well, taste and add more lime or salt if needed.

9. 9

   Let the salad sit for 10 min so the flavours meet.

10. 10

    Scatter the queso fresco and a little more cilantro over the top just before serving.

Imported from margao.pt. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.