In life, we all want to come out on top. The pinnacle. The place to be seen. The flourish at the finish. Like the best garnishes, garlands and guacs atop our favourite foods. That’s right, all eyes on the prize – guacamole at the centre of attention!
This July is inaugural World Guacamole Month, initiated by the World Avocado Organisation.
A testimony to how popular the delicious avocado is around the globe. And in these anxiety-inducing times, sales worldwide have soared as people embrace the many health-giving qualities of this green goddess fruit.
Locally grown, South Africans are gifted with an abundance of this fruit that offers potassium, fibre and a multitude of essential vitamins and minerals; not to mention it’s the most satisfying stay-at-home comfort-food hit you can have without the need for even a hint of over-indulgence guilt.
So, while we’re all at home waiting for an announcement that lockdown is coming to an end and cheering on our amazing Olympic athletes, we say, let’s work on our game, our guacamole game, that is!
As luck would have it, in South Africa, avocados are in season right now, so there is never going to be a better time to buy, with various varieties on shelf at the moment, both green-skinned and dark-skinned.
Let’s get our frustrations out by smashing a couple of these forgiving gems into a bowl and seeing where our imaginations take us. A traditional guacamole is made by mashing ripe avocados – smooth or chunky, as desired – then adding chopped tomato, onion, fresh coriander, salt and lime juice to taste.
Now how about a nod to all the sporting greats who trained so hard and are competing in the Tokyo Olympic Games, adding instead ingredients like soy sauce, spring onion, hot peppers, wasabi, pickled ginger, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, nori, miso or even Japanese bonito flakes (dried tuna flakes with a flavour between anchovies and bacon). And imagine that all piled on top of an aromatic stack of freshly griddled spring onion pancakes!
Or bring your guacamole home with a bit of biltong dust and a scattering of piquanté peppers.
Surround your guac bowl with a host of fresh crudité and see what the family has to say. Or use your guacamole creation to cap some local culinary greats – think braaied boerewors rolls, or right off the fire, braai bread. Top your steak, your chesa nyama chops, your fire-roasted mielies. Top a fritter, a samosa or a crispy fried pap patty.
And when you’ve satisfied your homegrown palate, go global again! Add tomato, basil and lemon for a guacamole to use on a pizza base instead of tomato sauce and cheese, add sumac and zaatar for a lovely Middle Eastern guacamole-hummus smash-up, or channel Scandinavia with sour cream and dill.
Whatever else you’ve got going on, this July go guac and stay home!
BASIC GUACAMOLE
SERVES 4
TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 avocados, peeled and chopped
- 2 spring onions chopped
- 1 small tomato, diced
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- Juice & zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or chipotle powder
- Fresh coriander to garnish
METHOD:
- Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mash with a fork until well combined
- Sprinkle with paprika and garnish with fresh coriander
Serve as a dip with your favourite snacks such as corn tortillas, crisps, droëwors or crudités
GUACAMOLE 3 WAYS
SPICY CORN & BLACK BEAN & CHIPOTLE GUACAMOLE
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
YIELD: SERVES 4 – 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 large ripe avocados
½ red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced - 1 jalapeño, deseeded and chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon chipotle paste (optional)
½ can sweet corn, drained - ½ can black beans, drained and rinsed
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- Pinch of salt and ground black pepper to taste
METHOD:
- Peel and roughly chop the avocados, add the remaining ingredients and mix gently to combine.
Serve immediately
CHUNKY GUACAMOLE
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
YIELD: SERVES 4- 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 large ripe avocados
- 1 large ripe tomato, deseeded and diced
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 1 small red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon coriander, chopped
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon or lime
METHOD:
- Peel and roughly chop the avocado, mix gently with the remaining ingredients.
Serve with a big squeeze of lemon and season well with salt and black pepper. Garnish with chilli.
POMEGRANATE & LIME Guacamole
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
YIELD: SERVES 4- 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 ripe avocados
- 2 limes, juice and zest
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely diced (optional)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
METHOD:
- Peel and roughly chop the avocado, gently mix with the remaining ingredients, reserving half the pomegranate seeds for garnish.
