Ingredients
Fruit
- prickly pears, beles, ripe and freshly picked
Equipment
- thick gloves
- tongs
- a sharp knife
- a bowl of water
- a stiff brush
To serve
- chilled, peeled, eaten whole
- in summer, in Asmara
Directions
- Use thick leather or rubber gloves, and handle the fruit with tongs wherever possible. Do not touch your face or eyes while handling them, and glochids in an eye require medical attention.
- Work over a bowl or a sink rather than a work surface, since detached glochids scatter.
- Wash everything thoroughly afterwards.
- Rinse the fruit under running water while brushing it firmly with a stiff brush. Alternatively, rub them in coarse sand or roll them on rough ground, which is what is done where they grow.
- Hold the fruit with a fork or tongs and cut off both ends. Now score the skin lengthways from one end to the other, about half a centimetre deep.
- Discard the skin carefully, since it still carries glochids. It is refreshing rather than intense, which is much of its appeal in hot weather.
- Chill the peeled fruit before eating, which makes it noticeably more refreshing.
Technique
- The tiny glochids are the real hazard, not the visible spines.
- Never handle the fruit with bare hands.
- The seeds are swallowed whole rather than chewed.
Substitutions
- There is no substitute; it is a seasonal wild fruit.
- Ready-peeled prickly pears, sold in some markets.
Variations
- Blended and strained into a juice.
- Made into syrup or jam.
- Chilled and eaten with a squeeze of lime.
History
The cactus was introduced by Italians and now fruits across the Eritrean highlands, with a summer season Asmara treats as a festival.
Frequently asked questions
What is Beles?
Beles is a snack from Eritrea: prickly pear fruit peeled and sold by the basket in summer. The cactus was introduced by Italians and now fruits across the Eritrean highlands, with a summer season Asmara treats as a festival.
How long does Beles take to make?
Beles takes 15 min of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes a basketful. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Beles?
Yes, within limits. There is no substitute; it is a seasonal wild fruit. Ready-peeled prickly pears, sold in some markets.
What is the most important thing to get right in Beles?
Use thick leather or rubber gloves, and handle the fruit with tongs wherever possible. Do not touch your face or eyes while handling them, and glochids in an eye require medical attention.
