AI-generated image
Agua de tuna (prickly pear drink)
Agua de tuna: magenta prickly pears blended with lime and sugar into a cold, melon-sweet agua fresca
Late summer is tuna season across the central highlands, from Hidalgo and the Estado de México down to Puebla's Teotihuacán valley, and that is when the big vitroleros in markets and taquerías turn shocking pink. Agua de tuna is just the cactus fruit blended with water, lime and a little sugar, strained, and poured over ice with lunch. Red tunas give a vivid colour and a taste between watermelon and pear; green ones make a paler, more herbal drink. It should be light and thirst-quenching, never syrupy. The commonest mistake is blending too long: the hard seeds crack and the agua turns gritty and slightly bitter. Pulse briefly, just enough to free the pulp, then strain well. It is ready when the liquid runs smooth through the sieve and tastes clearly of fruit with only a lift of lime. Handle unpeeled tunas with tongs or gloves: even 'cleaned' ones keep tiny glochids. Chef's tip: chill the peeled fruit before blending; cold pulp keeps its colour bright and needs less ice to dilute it.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the agua
- 8 prickly pears (tunas)red or green, about 800 g; peeled
- 5 cups cold water
- 2 tbsp lime juicefrom about 2 limes
- 2 ⅛ oz sugaror to taste
To serve
- 12 ice cubes (optional)
- 6 lime slices (optional)
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Holding each fruit with tongs or a fork, slice off both ends, cut a shallow slit down the length and peel back the thick skin with the tip of the knife. Do not touch the skin with bare hands.
6 minStep 2: Chop the peeled 8 prickly pears (tunas) roughly and put them in a blender with 500 ml of the 2 cups cold water.
2 minStep 3: Pulse 4–5 times, about 15 seconds in all, just until the pulp breaks up. Stop before the seeds start to crack.
1 minStep 4: Pour through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing gently with a spoon. Discard the seeds left behind.
3 minStep 5: Stir in the rest of the 3 cups cold water, 2 tbsp lime juice and 2 ⅛ oz sugar until the sugar dissolves. Taste: fruity first, then a clean sour finish.
2 minStep 6: Serve straight away over 12 ice cubes with 6 lime slices, or chill for up to a day and stir before pouring.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does agua de tuna (prickly pear drink) take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Guava delight
A thick, fragrant blend of ripe guava, mango and banana, boosted with a spoonful of guava powder from the health shop. The book calls it a modern-day vitality drink, drawing on guava's long use in traditional Indian medicine. Serve it well chilled; sieve it if you don't like the little guava seeds.
Power pack
A sweet, energising juice of apples, pears and kiwi fruit with a stick of celery, all used unpeeled for extra goodness. It's naturally sweet, so it needs no sugar. Serve well chilled.
Black bean tacos with lime slaw
Proof that a meat-free taco night can be the best one. The beans are mashed with chipotle and cumin so they hold together in the tortilla, and a quick lime slaw adds crunch.