The Aztecs, a native tribe in Mexico considered the avocado an aphrodisiac and called it Ahuacatl. The Spanish conquistadors called the avocado aguacate and the fiery sauce aguacamole, which later has been shortened to guacamole. It is currently Avocado season and most of Southern India has been inundated with farmers from Coorg and other hill stations that grow the fruit, coming to big cities and selling them at affordable prices. Taking the idea of Farm-to-Fork during Covid times, sustainably farmed and ethically sourced is great news for avocado aficionados!

So how does one choose the perfect ripe avocado to make Guacamole? Read on……

When you are choosing avocados, you want ones that are ripe but not overly mushy. To tell if an avocado is ripe, use your thumb and gently push on the top where the stem connects. The flesh should give a little, if it doesn’t give a little, it isn’t ripe enough. If it gives too easily, it is too ripe and won’t make a good guacamole but it will make a great salsa in the blender or milkshake.

**Pro tip for readers, save the pit/seed of the Avocado and place it in your bowl of Guacamole to prevent the flesh from turning brown.**

Now that you know how to pick the right Avocado, do you know what to make with them?

Start with the simplest way to enjoy this delicious buttery fruit to its maximum, cut up a ripe fruit into two halves, sprinkle with salt or sugar and you will be amazed at the perfectly smooth texture – tender and yielding to the bite!

If that was too easy, mashup a cup full of ripe avocados with salt and squirt of lime to top your favourite toasted bread or cracker with this buttery avocado spread.

Have a few more, then it’s time to make homemade guacamole and serve with a side of tortilla chips. Chips-and-guac will never goes out of style, as an anytime snack.

Try out our recipe for a super easy Guacamole, it works as a salad or a side to eat with rotis.

Recipe

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 cup onions, finely chopped

2 green chillies, finely chopped

1/4 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp of lime juice

Salt to taste

Method

Cut an avocado in half, remove the seed and scoop out the flesh.

Coarsely mash the avocado in a bowl with a fork.

Add the onion, tomato, green chillies, lime juice and salt to taste and mix well.

Served chilled or at room temperature.

– By Rupa Balachandar, a designer by profession, a home chef by love and a gemstone lover by passion. Rupa is a food and lifestyle writer who happens to be a vegetarian and loves to cook vegan and vegetarian versions of international cuisines for her family and friends.