On the last day of a family visit, my cousin Cheenu suddenly asked me if he could have guacamole. Living in Ohio, fresh avocado is not on my springtime shopping list. As luck would have it, I was able to find a ripe avocado at Trader Joe’s and was hurriedly able to fulfill his request on the day before he left. He had acquired the taste in California while staying with a friend who had an avocado tree in their garden. Yesterday he texted me for the recipe which I decided to share here with all my readers. It’s easy, it’s fresh and it’s healthy. Try it once and you will never again eat store bought. This one is for my cousin Cheenu.
Fresh Guacamole
This couldn’t be easier to make and serve. Serve it with taco chips, with pita, with toast or on a bed of fresh greens.
Ingredients
- Ripe avocado, diced – 1
- Chopped fresh Cilantro – 1/4 cup
- Chopped italian Parsley – 1/4 cup
- Diced sweet onions – 1/4 cup
- fresh lime juice – 3 tbs
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 4 tbs
- Balsamic Vinegar – 2 tbs
- Fresh mint diced – 1 tsp or more
- lemon or lime zest – 1/2 tsp
- Fresh Oregano – 2 sprigs
- diced ripe tomato – 1/3 cup
- Chili Powder – pinch
- fresh Serrano Chiles slit length wise – 2
- Kosher Salt – to taste
- Fresh Ground Pepper – to taste
Directions
Slit the Serrano (any hot chillies may be used) lengthwise and cover with fresh lemon juice and salt for a few minutes while you dice the onions and tomatoes and mince the fresh herbs. This allows the capsaicin to marinade into the lemon juice and makes it hot (spicy). The larger pieces of the chillies may then be removed or served on the side. You may also mince the chillies with the other ingredients. This will make the dish spicier and may not be to everyone’s taste.
In a large bowl mix all the diced onions and tomatoes with the minced fresh herbs and toss with the lemon and chillies. Add the olive oil and vinegar and toss. Cover and chill in the fridge.
Cut and scoop the avocado with a spoon and dice into a separate bowl. Add salt and pepper. a pinch of chili powder or a dash of Tabasco sauce and 2 tsp of olive oil. Mix and mash with a fork or spoon till it is well blended but still has a fair amount of texture. This is a matter of preference but good guacamole should not be smooth.
Mix the avocado with the diced tomato and onion mix and serve chilled with a garnish of fresh mint and or oregano.