I have to thank the existence of avocados for this entry. Oh, fajitas and chips too. Obviously the Aztecs as well for inventing this but that’s beside the point.
Coming from a Chinese family, we never had guacamole at home. Or at the hundreds of parties and events attended throughout my life. We had sambal. Plenty of it. But no guacamole.
You know how the Aztecs came up with guacamole? A guy accidentally stepped on a weird looking green fruit on a salted track. Yeah, back then they salted tracks for no good reason. He took a bite and the rest was history. You’re welcome. A lil history lesson.
Anyway, guacamole, along with fajitas only appeared in my life @ a Chilis restaurant in my teens. Although it was love at first taste, I never did make guacamole until much later in my life. Even so, that was my first and my last time.
So, a few weeks back, I guess the Aztec gene in me was craving for some guacamole. (We all came from Africa, so technically, everyone’s genetically related.) In order to uphold the Aztecness in me, I sought for guacamole inspiration by summoning the Aztec God. A.K.A the Internet. After gathering and perfectly combining the best of the best, here it is people – A guacamole recipe that will revive even the “deadest” Aztec gene in you.
Guacamole Serves 8 for appetizer
what you need:
2 ripe hass avocado, halved, deseeded, scooped out from peel
1 tomato (1/2 cup), halved, deseeded and diced
1 garlic clove, raw or roasted and finely chopped
1 tbs onion, finely chopped (white is sharp and crunchy, yellow is sweet and red is mild)
1 bunch fresh cilantro (leaves and stems), roughly chopped
1 jalapeno or 1/2 serrano chili, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
1 lime or lemon, juiced
1 tsp olive oil
Seasoning: Start with 1/4 tsp for each and increase as you go
ground cumin
ground coriander
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Sugar, a pinch
directions:
1. In a bowl, use a whisk or fork to mash the avocado. If you like big chunks, do not overdo.
2. In a blender or food processor, put half of the tomatoes, garlic, onion, cilantro and jalapeno/chili and sprinkle a little salt. Give it a shake or stir and let sit for a minute. Salt helps to draw out the flavor from the ingredients. Then, blend into a paste. This process helps make the guacamole more evenly and deeply flavored.
3. Put the paste and remaining half of the ingredients into the bowl of mashed avocado.
4. Drizzle a little olive oil and add the seasoning. Squeeze the lime or lemon juice a little at a time so as to not make the guacamole too watery. If it’s too watery, add half a mashed avocado. Combine well and adjust seasoning or lime/lemon juice according to your taste.
5. Let the guacamole sit for about 1 hour to allow the flavors to combine or if you can’t wait, serve immediately.
Notes:
To avoid browning, top the guacamole with 1/4 inch of water.
What is your secret to awesome guacamole?
