Mexican Lentil Soup with Cactus Recipe

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in lentils and bouillon cubes. Simmer over medium-low heat until lentils are nearly tender 15 to 20 minutes.

Trim off the edges of nopales and scrape spines from both sides using a sharp knife. Rinse and roughly chop. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add nopales and cook until tender 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse.

Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Add pasilla peppers and toast until evenly brown making sure not to burn them about 5 minutes. Cool until safe to handle; remove seeds and veins. Combine toasted peppers onion garlic and remaining 1 cup water in a blender. Process until smooth; strain into a bowl.

Stir blended pepper mixture and boiled nopales into the saucepan with the lentils. Simmer until lentils are tender about 20 minutes more.