Guacamole
Guacamole: central Mexico's molcajete-pounded avocado with serrano, onion, cilantro and lime
In fondas around Mexico City and at Sunday carne asada gatherings across Puebla and the Bajío, guacamole is pounded to order in a basalt molcajete and carried to the table still in the stone. No sour cream, no garlic powder: just ripe avocado crushed over a paste of onion, serrano chile, cilantro and salt, sharpened with lime. It is a dip for warm totopos, a topping for tacos and a side for grilled meat, and it is best eaten within the hour. Chef's tip: grind the chile, onion and salt to a wet paste first, so the heat spreads through every bite instead of sitting in chunks.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 ripe Hass avocadosthey should give slightly when pressed
- ¼ white onionfinely chopped
- 2 serrano chilesstems removed, chopped (deseed for less heat)
- ½ oz fresh cilantro (coriander)leaves and tender stems, chopped
- 1 tsp flaky or coarse salt
- 1 limejuiced
- 1 plum tomato (optional)deseeded and finely diced
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put half the ⅛ white onion, the 2 serrano chiles, half the ¼ oz fresh cilantro (coriander) and the 1 tsp flaky or coarse salt in a molcajete or a heavy bowl. Grind with the pestle (or the back of a fork) for 2–3 minutes until you have a coarse, wet green paste.
3 minStep 2: Halve the 3 ripe Hass avocados, remove the stones and scoop the flesh straight onto the paste. Crush with the pestle in short presses, leaving plenty of small lumps; you want texture, not baby food.
3 minStep 3: A common mistake is mashing the avocado smooth in a blender: it turns gluey and goes brown much faster. Stop as soon as it is creamy with chunks.
Step 4: Fold in the rest of the ⅛ white onion and ¼ oz fresh cilantro (coriander), the 1 plum tomato if using, and the 1 lime juice. Taste and add more salt or lime; it should taste bright, not flat.
2 minStep 5: Smooth the top and serve at once with tortilla chips, or press cling film directly onto the surface and chill for up to 2 hours.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does guacamole take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ripe hass avocados?
- Mashed peas with lemon juice (for dips).
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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