Guacamole
I don't understand how people can buy guacamole in a jar. Ok I have to admit that I have sometimes cheated when in a hurry and bought organic guacamole from a health food store but that is where I draw the line. I absolutely don't understand why anyone would want to buy something that is so healthy to begin with and has then been filled with additives and other rubbish. Just read the ingredient list when you are in the supermarket the next time, you will see what I mean.
Making guacamole is very satisfying yet easy and it always produces wonderful results (as long as you use ripe avocado). I could eat guacamole with everything, even on my muesli (ok maybe not on my muesli but with everything else!) and it is a good thing because it is so very healthy. Avocados are packed with goodness and their fat content (high in mono-unsaturated fats) and oleic acid keep our cholesterol in check and provide us with potassium which is important for our blood pressure regulation. They also include fibre, folate and more healthy stuff.
It is best to make the guacamole shortly before serving or if that is not possible make sure you cover it completely with cling film as it will soon discolour.
Note that there are at least thousand varieties of guacamole out there and you can always add your favourite ingredient to it...this however is my version.
This recipe is:
- Egg free
- Gluten free
- Lactose (dairy) free
- Nut free
- Vegan
Guacamole
Ingredients
- 1 spring onion, sliced very thinly
- 1 chili pepper (red), chopped finely
- 1 large, very ripe avocado, mashed
- 1 garlic clove, chopped finely
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt (Himalaya or sea salt)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Preparation
- Slice the spring onion very thinly. Discard the very ends of the onion.
- Cut the chili pepper in half, scoop out the seeds and membranes and chop very finely. You might want to use plastic gloves if you have sensitive skin.
- Cut the avocado in half lengthwise. Gently twist the two halves in opposite direction if you find the flesh clinging to the pit. Remove the pit, either with a spoon or by spearing with the tip of a knife. Place the halves face down, then peel and mash coarsely with a fork.
- Peel the garlic clove and chop very finely.
- In a medium bowl, combine the chili pepper, spring onion, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons lime juice. Stir well.
- Add the avocado. Mash completely if you want a smooth guacamole, otherwise leave some bits in for texture. You can also run the avocado pieces through a food processor for a very smooth texture.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and cover with cling film (as the avocado quickly discolours).
Tips
- Serve with tortillas, grilled potato wedges, as a dip and more.
- You can put all the ingredients through a food processor, however both the colour and the texture become somewhat unappealing. I prefer to mash the quacamole by hand and chop the vegetables finely, however this depends entirely on your preference.