Saturday, October 23, 2010

Nature's Mayonnaise

Avocados are a truly amazing fruit. They are considered to have a high fat content, but this type of fat is the good stuff that keeps you healthy. When ripe, they can be squeezed gently with a little pressure. At that time, it can be sliced, diced or even smashed into the consistency of a creamy mayonnaise.



When presented with ripe avocados, you have the perfect opportunity to make fresh guacamole. Of course, the best guacamole comes from a Mexican abuela, slowly creating it with a mortar and pestle. Since most of us do not have a Mexican grandmother, I will show you how to prepare the next best thing.


There are many recipes to make this dip. However, as always, I find that simple is better.


Also, it is not just the ingredients that make the dish; it is the process.


Begin with some finely chopped onion.



If you are like me, you like the taste of onion, but you don't want to taste it for the next three days. For this reason, I soak the minced onion in the lemon juice. The acid in the lemon juice cooks the onion and removes its offensive properties.


Substitution: You may use lime juice for this process. However, I prefer the relative sweetness and fresh flavour of the lemon.


Soak the onion in the liquid for a minimum of 10 minutes.



Next comes the star ingredient; avocados.



I have witnessed many people struggle when handling this fruit. So, here are some easy steps:


Begin with cutting your avocado with a knife, from top to bottom and around the circumference. You will hit a hard pit in the middle.


Gently twist the two sides, in opposite directions, to separate the halves.



The inner meat can be removed easily by scooping it out with a spoon.



The remaining skin and pit can be discarded.




Place the scooped avocado directly on top of your onion-lemon mixture.



Continue this process until you have enough avocados as required. (I used five.)


For me, a very important ingredient in the recipe is tomato. Most guacamole recipes do not call for it, but I find that tomatoes add an amazing freshness and texture. I have tried creating the dip without the use of tomato and it just does not taste right.



First, dice your tomato.



Proceeded to smash the pieces using a spoon or fork.



Place the smashed tomato directly on top of the avocados.



Now, you can go to town! Combine all of the ingredients together using a spoon or fork. You can leave the mixture as chunky or as smooth as you prefer.


Add salt to taste.



This dip will be the talk of any party or gathering!




Feel free to incorporate some additional ingredients, such as:
- garlic
- cilantro
- fresh parsley
- freshly ground black pepper
- sour cream


Here are some ways you can enjoy your guacamole:
- with potato or tortilla chips
- as a spread
- as a dressing for salads
- in sandwiches
- as a dip for vegetables

2 comments:

  1. Omkhar, I love jalapeƱos...Especially the ones that have been pickled in vinegar! Yum!

    ReplyDelete