Ingredients :

• Nopal paddle — This is the flat cactus also called prickly pear cactus — the green leaf, not the red fruit. In Latino or organic grocery stores, you often find it already de-spined. Choose a firm, bright green paddle without yellow spots or withered edges. If you use canned nopal in water (which is totally possible), rinse it well: it often has a slightly briny taste that can be surprising.
• Lemon — A classic yellow lemon, or two if you like sharp acidity. Squeeze it fresh, that’s all. Bottled juice lacks the same bite and dulls the freshness of the drink.
• Ginger — Optional, but recommended. A two-centimeter piece, peeled with a teaspoon — it’s the least wasteful method. It brings a light heat to the back of the throat and strengthens the digestive aspect of the juice. If you don’t have any on hand, the juice works very well without it.
• Green apple — Granny Smith, obviously. It mellows the flavor without truly sweetening it, and adds extra fiber that makes the juice more consistent. With it, the taste is significantly better for those discovering nopal for the first time.