Every time I go to the grocery store, Avocados mysteriously make their way into my shopping cart (no real mystery there actually). Many eons ago, I had my first taste of chunky guacamole, which was a major put off for me. I think either the way it was prepared was not right or the avocados used were grossly under ripe and imparted the guacamole a very bitter flavor and weird texture. It was not until we moved to the beautiful Pacific Northwest that I experienced the beauty and incredible taste of a ripe avocado. Avocado is technically a fruit, though I have normally found it in the vegetables aisles of a grocery store, stationed beautifully near stacks of roma tomatoes, cilantro and limes (Hint: make guacamole). A ripe avocado has a smooth texture and a very unique flavor. A very sweet lady at a Winco grocery store once showed me a trick to make sure that the avocado you are buying is not rotten. The spot where the avocado might have been attached to a branch or a stem on the tree has a piece of that stem on it. If you gently take that piece of stem off and the part underneath is green, and not brown or black, you are good to go. The avocado should neither be too firm nor too soft to touch. If you can only find avocados that are little bit on a firmer side, you can set them on your kitchen counter for 2-3 days and they should be ready to be consumed.
Avocados are considered to be a ‘Super food’. They are full of various essential nutrients and are rich in folate and fiber.
The recipe of this dressing is very versatile and you can easily adjust the consistency to make it a dip and serve with crudites or chips. If you are an avocado lover this will make you go weak in your knees. And if you are not an ardent fan of avocados..give this recipe a try and I am sure you will be converted forever..
Ingredients:
Avocado – 1 large
Blanched almonds – 1 tablespoon
Lime juice – from ½ a lime. Add more to make the dressing more tangy
Serrano/Thai Chilli – 1 (optional)
Cilantro – 10-12 sprigs
Extra virgin Olive oil – 1 and a ½ tablespoon
Salt and pepper to taste
Water – ½ cup + more to get desired consistency
Method:
Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit with a knife, and scoop out the fleshy, pulpy part of the avocado into a blender jar (you can also use a hand blender for this). To the blender jar add all the other ingredients. Blend everything together till it becomes a smooth paste. To make this into a dressing, add enough water to have a pouring consistency. Add this dressing to any salad to take it to a whole different level of yumm…Give it a try and let me know how you like it.
Love – Vaishali.
Tools Used:
Knife
Blender/ Hand blender
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