Growing up, the end of mango season always signified the start of something that was perhaps even better – Avocado Season! We also had an avocado tree at home, which my mother planted in 1990. Unfortunately, looking back, I don’t think I appreciated it as much as I should have.
My go-to breakfast before school in the months of July and August was always avocado mashed together with powdered sugar - super uncreative, but super delicious. I also remember one birthday party I had, with friends running around on the terrace when someone asked my mother what those odd looking fruits were, hanging from that tree, and as a result everyone ended up having sweetened avocado as a bonus snack.
During the rest of the year, the tree was my favourite to climb. In search of sunlight, it grew in a very lopsided manner and as a result gave me an easy way to access window ledges. I spent many summers getting up and down to and from my terrace using the avocado tree.
In the early 2000s, when my grandmother was visiting my aunt in the US, she found a vegetarian cookbook with a recipe for avocado salsa which she excitedly sent to my mother. We made it for dinner and it was absolutely delicious. It became a staple, every avocado season after.
Turns out, that recipe was for a guacamole, but the only difference was that in the salsa, we’d cut the avocado into chunks, and in a guacamole, the fruit is mashed more.
For the uninitiated, guacamole is an avocado-based dip, spread or salad first developed in Mexico. The name comes from an Aztec dialect and literally translates to ‘Avocado Sauce’. It is traditionally made by mashing ripe avocados and sea salt with a mortar and pestle. Recipes can also call for lime juice, cilantro and jalapeños. Non-traditional recipes call for sour cream, onions, tomatoes, basil and more.
The recipe I’m about to share is non-traditional, and includes a lot of other ingredients that contribute to flavour, texture and overall deliciousness. I also learnt that I should not make this dip when I am especially hungry, because I was rather impatient with the photos I took. I couldn’t wait to dig in and that is why these photos are ones I am not happy with. The recipe, however, is absolutely brilliant and I can’t recommend it enough!
GOOD OL’ GUACAMOLE
Ingredients:
Avocados – 3-4, ripe
Onion – 1, finely diced
Tomato – 1, diced
Fresh Cilantro (Coriander) – 4tbsp, finely chopped
Green Chillies* – 2-3, finely diced
Garlic – 2 cloves, minced
Lime – 1, juiced
Sriracha Sauce* - a few dashes
Pepper – a few shakes, freshly cracked
Salt – To taste
Method:
Slice the avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop out the pulp into a bowl using a spoon.
Mash the avocado with a fork. Make it as smooth or chunky as you’d like. I prefer a smoother consistency.
Add all the other ingredients and mix together.
Serve as a dip with corn chips, carrot sticks or other vegetables. Alternatively, spread on toast and enjoy!
*Notes:
If you have jalapeños, use one or two, finely sliced after removing the seeds. I used green chillies because I did not have jalapeños.
Instead of Sriracha Chilli Sauce, you can add a dash of Tabasco Sauce or any other chilli sauce. You could also leave it out.
Avocado browns over time, so the guacamole will discolour. Serve it immediately!
It is currently avocado season here in India, so be sure to give this recipe a go! Send me a photo @mosmusingsblog on Instagram if you do, and subscribe and stay tuned for more avocado recipes coming soon!
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