Native American Recipes
Cactus Fruit Jelly
The Tohono O'Odham in southern Arizona harvest this fruit every year.
Yield: 3 cups
Ingredients
- 6 to 10 red-ripe prickly pear cactus fruits (tuna)
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 (3 fluid ounce) package liquid fruit pectin
Instructions
- You should have enough fruit to make 3 1/2 cups of juice. Carefully remove thorns from fruit by wiping with a paper towel and then brushing with a vegetable brush under water. Put fruit in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Pour off water and discard. Mash or purée fruit through a strainer lined with doubled cheesecloth. Strain juice into a large measuring cup. Let juice sit for at least 30 minutes to allow sediment to settle to the bottom. Pour off juice carefully. You should have 3 1/2 cups.
- In a saucepan combine fruit juice, lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute.
- Stir in pectin and boil for 1 minute longer.
- Remove from heat. Stir and skim foam off the top.
- Spoon into sterilized jelly jars and seal.