Classic guacamole recipe
In Mexico, we use the word desflemar to describe the action of adding citrus juices, vinegar or simply water to vegetables or chillies in order to reduce their acidity or spice level while retaining their flavour. In this case, by adding lime or lemon juice to the chopped onion, we are toning down the strong essence onions have when they are freshly cut.
Guacamole is usually made with white onions, but here I prefer to use red, because I find them slightly sweeter in the UK, similar to our cebollas blancas (Mexican white onions) which are not as strong as brown onions. Adding acidity to the guacamole with lime or lemon juice also prevents the oxidisation of the avocado pulp, which stops it from turning brown or black. Mexican grandmas traditionally leave the avocado stones (pits) in the guacamole to prevent oxidation. You can do both.
Ingredients
- 1 x quarter of red onion, finely chopped
- 1 lime, juice only
- 2 ripe tomatoes, halved, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 ripe avocados, peeled and stoned
- 15 g coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
- 1 green serrano or jalapeño chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (to taste)
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
Details
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Recipe Type: Avocado
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 10 mins
- Cooking Time: 0 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Place the onion in a bowl and pour over half the lime juice. Set aside.
- Place the chopped tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Mix well, then pour the tomatoes into a sieve placed over another bowl. The salt will enhance their flavour and also cause them to release a watery juice. We don’t want that in our guacamole, but you can save it for marinades.
- Place the avocado flesh in a mixing bowl and add the rest of the lime juice. Use a fork to crush the avocado until it is mashed, but still firm and chunky – you don’t want it to become puréed or watery.
- Drain the onions and add them to the bowl, along with the drained chopped tomatoes and coriander. Use a spatula to fold the mixture gently together without mashing the avocado further.
- Add the chopped chilli to taste and adjust the seasoning. That’s it. There’s nothing else to add – except maybe the avocado stone!
This recipe is from Ciudad de Mexico: Recipes and Stories from the heart of Mexico City by Edson Diaz Fuentes (Hardie Grant, £26). Photography: Robert Billington and Adam Wiseman.
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