Dried and Fresh Shrimp with Cactus Paddles

Name: Dried and Fresh Shrimp with Cactus Paddles (Camarones con Nopalitos)
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped; 3 to 4 jalapeño chiles (or to taste), tops removed, coarsely chopped; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon achiote paste; 4 large nopalitos (cactus paddles), cleaned and cut into ½-inch dice; ½ pound fresh “large” shrimp (16 to 20 count per pound), peeled and deveined; 6 large fresh epazote sprigs or 1 tablespoon dried; ½ cup hulled pumpkin seeds; 1 cup whole dried shrimp (about 2 to 2½ ounces), cleaned, or 2 tablespoons ground dried shrimp; 2 large ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Camarones con Nopalitos

Preparation info

4
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Food and Life of Oaxaca

By Zarela Martínez

Published 1997

About

This is an example of an Isthmian molito, or “little mole” with a fairly simple pureed sauce less demanding than a full-fledged mole. I like to serve it with some straightforward rice dish.

The fresh shrimp are the size called “large” at my fish store, but designations may vary by retailer.

Ingredients

½ cup hulled pumpkin seeds
1 cup whole dried shrimp (about 2 to 2½ ounc

Americas
Mexico
Fish course
Pescatarian
Oaxaca
Gluten-free

Method

Heat a griddle or medium-size cast-iron skillet over low heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and whole dried shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. (If using ground dried shrimp, do not toast.) Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Place the pumpkin seeds and dried shrimp in a blender along with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeños, and achiote past