Babutsa is ripe!

Babutsa or prickly pear is ripe in Northern Cyprus.
How? You don't know what that is?
Babutsa is a cactus fruit that can be seen everywhere on the island. This plant is unpretentious and does not require special care and water. The name " babutsa "comes from the Greek word and is translated as"Shoe". And, indeed, the fruit of babutsa in appearance resembles Slippers or shoes. And what a useful this "Shoe"! You can eat it raw, whole, right with all the bones, which are very much inside the fruit. In this form babutsa is useful for digestion and helps to cleanse the body. The fruit is rich in antioxidants, contains vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, potassium.True, the taste of "Shoe" unusual, but sweet and refreshing smell of watermelon.
Another of babutsa make marmalade, added to desserts and liqueurs, baked, stewed.
The only drawback, or rather, the inconvenience of the fruit - an abundance of long "biting" thorns, however, like any other cactus. If you have never had to deal with the fruits of cactus, it is better not to try to clean it yourself. Entrust this process to professionals who have everything worked out to automatism. But if you do decide to fight with the prickles of the cactus, be patient! And don't forget to wear gloves. First, you need to cut off the edges of the fruit from the top and bottom, and then make a longitudinal cut and remove the skin. And you can enjoy the unusual, juicy taste of cactus figs.
But that's not all about our wonderful barbed pear. With its help, the ancient builders built castles, fortresses and other buildings. They cooked the cactus leaves to a jelly-like state, then mixed with soil and used as cement. The composition of this was extremely strong. Proof of this, for example, the famous monument of architecture in Northern Cyprus - Bellapais Abbey - built in this way. And you won't see any cement. Thanks to the amazing property of the cactus and the ingenuity of the builders of the ancient buildings stand for centuries.
And our wonderful cactus can protect your home from uninvited guests and will serve as a good fence between the sites. I would be using to climb to the neighbour did not dare!
Here is such a useful, amazing and multifaceted cactus-Shoe!
Intrigued? Hurry to the market and try this amazing fruit!