Cactus for Food

During summer season, I can see a fruit in the vegetable shops in Jordan. This fruit is unusual looking as can be seen in the photo. This is a “Cactus-Pear” which is a type of prickly pear. When I pick it up, I felt a pricking sensation, giving me small splinters in my finger.

I have seen a man on the street wearing tough gloves, cleaning and peeling the  “Cactus-Pear”. Now I can understand that this is a necessary service for customers. In supermarkets, the “Cactus-Pear” is seen on the shelves both peeled and packaged.

The “Cactus-Pear” has many seeds inside. Maybe I can say it tastes like a sweet watermelon. The pain in my fingers lasted for a while. However, it was interesting to find a new food.